NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee House lawmakers say they're fighting to secure funding in next year's budget so that disabled children will be able to get Medicaid assistance.
House members announced Wednesday they intend to fully fund the so-called Katie Beckett program -- which helps parents care for severely disabled children at home -- while approving Tennessee's annual spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year.
However, the House's intention to fund the $27.3 million program hasn't been adopted by the Senate.
The program was named for an Iowa girl whose health plight led President Reagan to change Medicaid's rules in 1981. It allows states to extend services to children even if their parents aren't poor enough to qualify for Medicaid. It helps pay for therapy and medical equipment to maintain kids at home.
