CALLER:
My six-year-old son needs more help than I can afford I think, and he needs more than what he gets at school. He has a developmental delay, and he has been receiving occupational and physical therapy. Thankfully we get some Family Support Program dollars that I use to pay a caregiver who helps with carrying him to these therapy visits after school. Now his pediatrician has recommended speech therapy too, but I don’t know how I am going to pay for it. I know this won’t be forever, and he does get some therapies at school but it is for such a short period of time and only once a week if the therapists are there. I am a single parent, and I am already working full-time and caring for my two older children. I cannot get a second job. My employer insurance has a limit on the number of therapy visits covered, and unfortunately, we have met that limit.
PATHFINDER:
I am so glad you called. There is a foundation where you can apply for a grant to help with your son’s medical and disability-related expenses. It is the United Healthcare Children’s Foundation.
A parent can apply online (on their computer not phone) for a grant of up to $5,000 for a 12-month period. If an application is approved the money can be used for medical expenses within 60 days before the application was deemed complete, and up to a year after approval (if not previously spent). In other words, do not wait very long after a major or ongoing non-covered expense occurs, to apply. A family can make repeated applications to help with other medical expenses for the child in following years, if they have not reached the $10,000 lifetime maximum.
Eligibility requirements as well as exclusions, required documents and FAQ are listed on their website.
Here are some of the more important eligibility requirements: The medical service for which the grant is needed must be for a child who is age 16 or less. The child must have a Social Security number. The child’s primary insurance must be a commercial insurance such as from an employer or privately purchased. The primary insurance must not be TennCare, although the child could have TennCare as a secondary insurance. And for a family of four, the size of yours, the 1040 documented income for the most recent tax year must be under $115,000.
You can always Call Pathfinder! 1-800-640-4636
| Questions and scenarios found in the Call Pathfinder column represent questions received by Pathfinder but are not taken from actual Pathfinder calls. Actual resource information provided varies based on the specific situation and needs of each individual. |