LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV)– A proposed reduction to the Aged and Disabled Waiver is causing anxiety among families who care for disabled relatives at home, with some worried the changes could compromise their loved ones’ health.
- Nebraska proposes cuts to family caregiver compensation program, reducing reimbursed care hours from 112 to 40 per week.
- Lincoln mother Teresa Stewart fears changes will jeopardize health of her disabled son Austin, who requires 24-hour ventilator care
- State says costs increased 322% since 2017, making changes necessary for program sustainability despite family concerns
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A proposed reduction to Nebraska’s Aged and Disabled Waiver is causing anxiety among families who care for disabled relatives at home, with some worried the changes could compromise their loved ones’ health and well-being.
Teresa Stewart has spent the last 29 years caring for her son Austin, who became mentally and physically disabled after contracting meningitis when he was less than a month old. A brain hemorrhage left Austin quadriplegic and dependent on a ventilator, requiring 24-hour care…