Re: Florida Medicaid now pays for HBOT

[Guest guest]

,

I hate to be the one to ask...although medicaid has agreed in these few

states to pay for hbot, how do we go about finding a facility that will accept

medicaid? I live in Mobile AL and we have been trying for months to raise money

to get our son Noah (8months severe CP) as many HBOT treatments we can afford.

Unlike most neurologists, ours actually recommended hbot for Noah. His only

thing was to make sure that the chamber used has not been used for wound care in

the past. There are 2 known places in the state of AL that uses hbot, but

neither of them will treat children and both are used for wound care. Is it

possible to file for medicaid in a state that you do not live to receive these

treatments? A waiver of some kind? Please, any suggestions at this point would

be very valuable. I am desperate for a way to help my son.

Thanks,

Freels <dfreels@...> wrote:

>Florida Medicaid now reimburses Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for brain-injured

>children.

>

>To quote the first sentence in the second paragraph: " Florida Medicaid

>reimburses for hyperbaric oxygen treatments with no limitations to eligible

>recipients under the age of 21. "

>

>In addition, Florida Medicaid will also arrange transportation.

>

>Florida parents, it's time to start asking. The letter has been converted

>to a pdf file and can be downloaded from:

>medicaid/files/HBOT_Florida_pays.PDF

>

>A brain-injured child in any state pretty much automatically qualifies for

>Medicaid. Helping hurt kids was the original purpose of Medicaid.

>

>When Medicaid for children was created in 1967, President Lyndon

>stated " The problem is to discover, as early as possible, the ills that

>handicap our children. There must be continuing follow-up and treatment so

>that handicaps do not go untreated. " (13 Congressional Record 2883.

>February 8, 1967).

>

>While Pediatric Neurology and the rest of Medicine ignores this root cause

>of brain-injury (insufficient cerebral blood flow), we as parents have a

>legal right to this treatment for our children.

>

>In the interest of brain-injured children, a new listserv has been formed

>to help parents access Medicaid reimbursement of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

>(HBOT).

>

>mailto:medicaid-subscribe

>

>Hyperbaric oxygen has been proven to improve recovery in brain-injury.

>There are reports that over 90% of all brain-injured children who receive

>HBOT receive improvement. However, it is currently not accepted by pediatric

>neurology as a standard treatment of care for our children. Because of this

>nonacceptance parents are forced to pay for hyperbaric oxygen out of

>pocket. Many parents have already taken out 2nd and 3rd mortgages to pay

>for this incredibly safe, noninvasive, life-changing, permanent therapy.

>

>The goal of the medicaid listserv is to change this status. Once

>Medicaid reimburses HBOT, the insurance companies will follow suit.

>

>A large obstacle is that each state is free to administer Medicaid

>according to however they want; however, each state must comply with the

>federal Medicaid law for children--which specifically stipulates that a

>treatment like HBOT must be paid for by state Medicaid plans--whether it is

> " covered by the state plan or not " .

>

>Through this forum we as parents, caregivers, and advocates will be able to

>exchange information, tips, and advice on how to access this for our

>children.

>

>Together we can make a difference.

>

>Separately we may never make a difference.

>

>I encourage you to participate in this discussion and worthy pursuit.

>

>In addition to invaluable conversation and encouragement, list members will

>be able to download over a dozen pdf files that can be used to put together

>a request for Medicaid reimbursement through their own state agencies.

>There is documentation from several states that will already reimburse HBOT

>for brain-injury.

>

>These files are available for download from

>medicaid/files/ .

>

>mailto:medicaid-subscribe

>

>

>

>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> " I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form

>of tyranny over the mind of man. " -- Jefferson, probably an early

>advocate of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

>----------------------------

> Freels

>2948 Windfield Circle

>Tucker, GA 30084-6714

>USA

>770/491-6776 (phone and fax)

>509/275-1618 (efax, sends fax as email attachment)

>mailto:dfreels@...

>

>mailto:medicaid-subscribe

>

>mailto:HBOTnow-subscribe

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

What would be the problem if the chamber had been used for wound

care in the past? I don't understand what the difficulty would be.

Thanks,

, Queen Kaitlyn's mom

[Guest guest]

,

From what I understand, there is a general concern about the bacteria

and germs that are definitely present in a wound situation, especially when

treated in a hospital atmosphere. Staph, ecoli, MRSA lots of other micro

germs that could still possibly be lurking. My son Noah has a suppressed

immune systems due to ACTH steroid therapy. I won't take any risks with his

health at this point...better to be safe than sorry!

Re: [ ] Florida Medicaid now pays for HBOT

>

> What would be the problem if the chamber had been used for wound

> care in the past? I don't understand what the difficulty would be.

> Thanks,

> , Queen Kaitlyn's mom

>

>

>

>