Thought that some might be interested in the below
Joe
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Letter from âBrother to Brotherâ on Thursday, February 24,
2005
Dear Representative Pallone:
It is budget time again and it appears that the leadership of
this Great Commonwealth is once again attempting to solve
their budget woes on the backs of thousands of Handicapped
Pennsylvanians that do not have the ability to speak out and
defend themselves. Why do we consistently wage our budget
attacks on the neediest and most helpless residents of this
great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ?
As the parent of an twelve year old Autistic Child, and as
your brother, I am writing to ask you to strenuously oppose
Governor Rendell's proposed budget which seeks to: "Implement
a plan of cost sharing under which higher income families
with disabled children eligible for Medical Assistance would
be required to pay a monthly premium, based on a sliding
scale;" this cost sharing plan will effect thousands of
Pennsylvanian's and include your nephew and my son. My hope
is that you won't stop with a strenuous opposition, but you
will become a VERY VOCAL Leader, ADVOCATE and representatives
of our children and our families in this Commonwealth.
The Governor's Budget proposes placing a sliding scale,
income based Co-Pay on the eligibility for MA - Specifically,
the proposal would begin to require co-pays for families
above $50,000 of income. Presumably, the co-pay scale would
be less for large families, and lower forsmaller families
and the proposal will go into effect with the 2005/2006
budget.
Services currently paid for under MA include, but are not
limited to:
1. Behavioral Therapies (wraparound)
2. Medical Therapies (speech therapy, occupational therapy,
physical therapy)
3. Essential medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, chair
lifts, hearing aids, etc.
4. Prescriptions
5. Nutritional supplements
Our family has determined that the cost of privately
purchasing theservices, which Bobby desperately requires,
will be a minimum of $90,000 per year, every year (costs most
probably will go over the $100,000 mark - my estimate is
conservative). The cost of the co-pay along with MANY other
out of pocket costs associated with a disabled child would
clearly have a catastrophic impact upon our family's ability
to care for Bobby as well as the basic needs of the family.
Not only would there be loss of services for the children,
but it would also effect the employment of thousands of
Pennsylvanians that are employed as therapists, aids and
administrators of the programs. Either of the effects are
not positive for Pennsylvanians.
As you are very aware, Bobby was diagnosed as Autistic at the
early age of 2. Autism is a neurobiological disorder of the
brain that affects as many as one in every 150 children born
every day. The cause of Autism has not been determined and
there is no cure. Although there is not a cure, it should be
noted that the science and research shows that the programs
that are paid for and funded by MA are the " State of the
Art " treatment and the most promising methodology for a cure
and/or positive outcome. The behavioral and therapeutic
interventions have proven ENORMOUSLY effective in enabling
our children to speak, interact with others and participate
meaningfully in school and as citizens. You, of all people,
have seen the DRAMATIC and LASTING effects that Therapy and
intervention has had for Bobby.
I ask you to think back on how your nephew, Bobby, started as
an avoidance little boy who was hard to engage and had little
family interaction â all symptoms of Autism. Now, fast
forward to today and think about and reflect on how his
extraordinary effort and the hard work of his family and
therapy team has helped him progress into a child who can
communicate his needs and enjoy the company of family
members, friends and classmates. Truly, he has blossomed into
a delightful little boy that loves the attention of friends
and family as he shows off his new skills for us. His
progress has been somewhat miraculous and very promising for
all of us. Everyday we pray for more progress and wish for a
miracle to cure him of this hideous condition. At the very
least, we wish and hope for Bobby to have the power of a more
meaningful vocabulary and speech along with the ability to
have loving and reciprocal relations. We have seen a great
deal of progress towards our goals and you can raise
testimony to his progress in reading, counting, math and
other important and necessary subjects of study in the school
curriculum and the home and natural environment.
If the Governor's budget is passed, we will be faced with two
options:
1. Family Bankruptcy as a result of privately attempting to
pay for Bobby's medical and therapeutic needs, Or
2. Abandoning the treatment that has brought him so far and
NOTHING for him in the public School Environment -- In a very
real sense we will be abandoning a child that has a ton of
hope and potential as a SON, Nephew, grandson and brother.
The options are truly unacceptable and honestly despicable.
They are options that NO Pennsylvania family should be forced
to face, regardless of income. By way of this e-mail, I am
asking you and urging you to forward this information to
EVERY HOUSE member (both sides of the aisle) on your e-mail
list and copy the Governor and his budget Secretary. I have
taken the liberty of copying Senator Sean Logan, Senator
Orie, Senator White, Representative/Minority Leader DeWeese,
Representative DeLuca, Bob Kline from Senator Mellow's
office, Bob Billstone from Senator Costa's office and John
Fulton from Representative Lescovitz's office on this e-mail
and I also will ask them to send this to EVERY SENATOR (both
sides of the aisle)on your internal e-mail mailbox along with
the Governor and his budget Secretary.
Please don't take this note lightly, and I would appreciate
if you copied me on your forwarded note to your colleagues. I
am asking and pleading that the Governor of this Great
Commonwealth and the members of the House and Senate not
allow a budget that will HANDICAP BOBBY and Handicap
thousands of Pennsylvania's children ALL OVER AGAIN !
I look forward to being copied on your forwarded note to your
colleagues and we all thank you for your support on this very
important matter.
Your brother,
Robert M. Pallone, Sr.+