Tamara and her husband both needed round-the-clock home care services to continue living in their home in Staten Island. At 83 years old, she suffered from memory issues, diabetes, arthritis, and difficulty walking. Sadly, Tamara’s husband passed away last year. However, because her Medicaid insurance plan thought that the 24-hour care was only for her husband’s needs, they immediately proposed to reduce her services to 6 hours a day. This would have left her aides without enough time to prepare meals, remind her to take her medications, and help her get dressed and bathed. “It would have been very difficult. I don’t know how we would have managed,” said her son.
ICAN helped Tamara to apply for a Fair Hearing. An ICAN advocate helped her obtain the necessary documentation. They received a decision in their favor, ordering the insurance plan to reinstate the 24-hour care.
Now Tamara could grieve her loss in peace. “Thank you for helping our family throughout this difficult process,” said her son. “We can rest easy knowing she is getting the assistance she needs to live safely at home.”