Pediatric Home Care Feeling The Bite Of Shutdown Threat
PLYMOUTH, Minn. (WCCO) -- Suzanne and Dan Ullom's precious little girl, Shelby, was just 23 weeks old at birth.
The severely premature child is now 14 months old and being cared for in the family's home. Along with a room full of toys come lots and lots of plastic tubes. Her little body is connected to machines that help her eat and breathe.
"That's the ventilator, there's the feeding pump," said Suzanne.
Their baby girl requires a constant flow of medical supplies along with 24-hour nursing help. At roughly $1,500 per day, the medical care would bankrupt most all Minnesota families. That's why the state's medical assistance program kicks in to cover the costs.
Still, caring for Shelby at home is at least one-third the cost of keeping her in a hospital. Now with the possibility of a state shutdown, the Ulloms fear what the days ahead will bring.
"If it (budget) doesn't get resolved she runs out of supplies and if we run out of supplies, she has to go back to the hospital," said Dan.
That would cost taxpayers far more money and would force families like the Ulloms to split their time between hospital and home.
"So you're constantly split up, it's not easy," says Suzanne.
That's why Susan Wingert founded Pediatric Home Service 21 years ago. The Roseville-based home medical service and supply company caters exclusively to pediatric patients. Forty percent of their clients are on state medical assistance.
Beginning June 1, the state stopped paying their share of reimbursements for services the company provides.
Wingert said it's essentially forcing companies like hers to float the state a loan. The problem is PHS still has to have money to pay for staff salaries and vendors for supplies.
"With no money coming in that makes this job incredibly difficult. And every night I sit and worry what to do about my employees, and what to do about my babies," Wingert said.
With no money coming in, PHS is already furloughing a number of staff.
"We take care of the really special kids - the most vulnerable in the state of Minnesota," Wingert said.
That includes patients like Dan and Suzanne Ullom's 14-month-old girl. With her ventilator and feeding tubes tethering her to a crib, she's an innocent player, getting squeezed by the politics of a budget stalemate.
"They supply everything that comes to our door, because when you have a child like this you can't just pick it up somewhere. Without, then we couldn't bring Shelby home," said Suzanne.
