(WKYT) – Families across Kentucky rely on Medicaid. Now, with state budget cuts, many are worried they’ll lose crucial services.
“Families might have to make hard decisions,” Katie Bentley, advocate and mother said.
Katie’s 22 year old son, Will Bentley, has an intellectual disability and hearing loss. She said he relies on a Medicaid waiver to fund services that keep him an active, functioning member of his community.
But with budget cuts and the risk of losing community based services, she says the only other option is institutional care.
“I want him to live in his community, not in an institution,” Katie said.
Katie said she fears local caregivers will be forced to take a pay cut or quit, leaving her son and others like him without the care they need.
“I’m not just speaking about my family but I know that would mean that some people wouldn’t even have someone to get them out of bed each day,” Katie said.
She said services also include personal care, community living supports or learning basic safety skills like how to ride a bus, or stay safe on the road.
Katie says community based resources like these have helped Will become the person he is today. As a child, he was completely non-verbal, but now, he plays the guitar, wants to learn to drive, and holds several jobs.
“It is also important to remember that that cut could take those services out of the community completely,” she said.
Katie said she knows many across the Commonwealth are desperate for services, she’s worried the cuts could make them harder to access.
“I don’t want another family to go through that. I remember crying because we couldn’t afford medicine because Will’s seizure medicine cost over $1,000 a month,” she said.
Katie said she believes there must be another way to save money within the budget.
Families are continuing to push back.