Home > Our Work > Mother's Day > Diane

Diane

Photo by Abby Whisenant

A mother’s greatest joy is her children; this is especially true for Diane. Diane and her husband Frank are the parents of Rebekah and two other children, all special needs adoptions.

Their daughter Rebekah, age 17, is a miracle child.  Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and mental retardation, she is fed by a tube and requires constant care from her parents and a nurse.  Despite her special needs and because of her mother’s devoted love, Rebekah is a vibrant young lady, who enjoys music and being around people.

However, earlier this year, the TennCare program denied home nursing services for Rebekah.  She was in danger of entering a nursing home because it was impossible for Diane to care for Rebekah and her other children without help.  The thought of her teenage daughter living in a nursing home was overwhelming.  Diane was determined to protect her child from this fate.

She contacted the Tennessee Justice Center, and we intervened on the family’s behalf.  A few days later, Rebekah’s home nursing care was approved.

Diane’s sense of relief did not last long.  She soon realized that changes to the TennCare program present additional challenges to obtaining the medical care that her special needs children require.  Rebekah is one of 340,000 people in Middle Tennessee, 80,000 of them children, who were moved to new HMOs on April 1 of this year.  Rebekah’s new HMO, Amerigroup, has a much smaller network of doctors and hospitals compared with her old HMO.  Only about half as many doctors accept the new HMOs, which do not reimburse physicians as well as the old HMO.  When her family was faced with the switch to the new HMOs, Diane spoke out.  She put a face on the risks and fears families were facing going into new plans without hospitals and doctors to serve them.  Again, with the help of TJC, Diane is confronting the obstacles standing between children and the care they need.

“It seems like each month brings a new problem in obtaining health care services for our children,” said Diane.  “I know that other families with special needs children are facing the same problems.  It is difficult, but I must persevere in this battle for my own children and for other TennCare children.”

Read about other opposition to Tennessee's health care policies.

Click to get involved.

Keep Up To Date Subscribe To Our Email Newsletter Your Email Address: