Stop using parental income guidelines for children SSA for extremely needy children the level of care will not change when they turn 18. Children with extreme disabilities should have access to affordable healthcare regardless of income levels of families. Making it more affordable for families to choose to have a special needs child every life deserves medical. Most extreme special needs parents are 1 income and can still barely inch by and are denied medical and any support . Making it so children with extreme disabilities can receive support without a low income threshold helps everyone
Completely agree!
The income limits for people with disabilities should be raised, too. No one can make it on $2000 per month. That’s too much money to be approved for Food Stamps but not enough to pay for all expenses. I’ve been told my entire life that the goal is to eventually have an education and not need the SSI until retirement, eventually. Now, at 29 with Cerebral Palsy, that feels impossible. I’m stuck on a hamster wheel that I can’t get off of while my body breaks down.
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We have two special needs children and 7 others.
To receive SSA, we are allowed one vehicle free. After that any other vehicle we own counts against what our special needs children receive. So if we have an extra vehicle or two for our older children, it counts against our specials. Just one example necessitating reform.
Also! In MN, we are on the waiver program. If we pay a large amount for our child to attend an intensive therapy camp, then are reimbursed with waiver money, that money is deposited into our checking account. Social security sees that $ sitting there and automatically sends us a letter saying we owe them a large amount of money back, to be deducted in monthly increments. This cannot be reversed over the phone, the workers are too incompetent. It takes hours and days to reverse-trips to SS offices, hoping you’ll get to speak with someone that will understand.
Then if we’re not careful to get that money out of there fast next time, it happens again. Almost not worth the hassle of receiving the support in the first place.