Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX)

Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX)

Seizures have taken hold of 4-year-old Jaxon Huffman’s body every day for almost his entire life. At 2 months old, he began experiencing simple partial seizures that interfered with his nervous system and senses. Three months later, his mother Jennifer said, doctors discovered Jaxon was having infantile spasms, a symptom of epilepsy that continues into childhood. Jaxon has up to 100 spasms and seizures, including several grand mal seizures, every day. His muscles stiffen, his head drops forward or backward. His body temperature may spike or he may choke.

Poor, disabled, and a child or old person? Texas has figured out how to really make your life—and your families' lives—miserable, by taking away home health care. The state legislature passed a budget rider earlier this year directing the Health and Human Services Commission to make cuts in Medicaid therapy costs. The Commission took that very seriously, and plans to slash $150 million from reimbursements to therapy providers. That decision puts in jeopardy another $200 million in federal funds. Here's what it means in practice to one family.Jaxon doesn't respond to regular epilepsy medication. He's spent a very good part of his life in emergency rooms and hospitals for respiratory infections. A speech therapist who visits Jaxon at home (one of the triggers for his seizures is being in public places with numerous people—like a therapist's practice) figured out that he was aspirating his food, which caused the infections. That was confirmed by doctors and, as an alternative to a feeding tube, the therapist started a therapy called VitalStim that included techniques to stimulate the throat muscles and help patients swallow. Since starting the therapy in January, Jaxon hasn't had another infection. So guess what happens to Jaxon's home therapy October 1? The state takes it away, and sends him right back to the hospital.

It's not, of course, just this one little boy. In fact, as many as 240,000 Texans, including children and the elderly dealing with Parkinsons and other diseases can lose speech, physical and occupational therapy. A lawsuit succeeded in pushing the implementation date of these cuts from September 1 to October 1.

(Via)