PLEASE HELP LISA AND ALL DISABLED AMERICANS

Lisa Mowdy is my adopted sister, living with Profound Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, Lordosis, and other complex medical issues.  Our parents adopted Lisa as a foster baby and gave her excellent care, despite her prognosis of 10-12 years.  They did such a fantastic job, that she outlived them both.  She turned 51 years old in May 2025.  

Lisa lives with a trach and is on life-support (ventilator, oxygen, and feeding tube) to sustain her.  She requires round-the-clock care, which is provided by her private insurance (Daddy's retirement health insurance plan) and Medicaid, that carries the financial responsibility of nursing and aide care in our home.  I rely on every hour awarded to her to be able to continue her care at home (as I promised our parents) and to allow me some freedom of motion to maintain my full-time job, my part-time work, and oversee my non-profit organization.

July 29, 2025 Update

After the Hearings Officer sided with CHC, I made several social media blasts about the outcome.  Thankfully, the public responded.  I was contacted by local media, KHOU-TV (Houston's CBS Affiliate) who ran a piece about the denial of benefits. Before I formally applied for the next step in the appeals process (an Administrative Review conducted by attorneys within HHS in Austin, who would review all exhibits and the recorded hearing to confirm if the Hearings Officer conducted it within guidelines and to decide if they agree with his findings), CHC contacted me requesting another evaluation to be done in our home - the third annual evaluation in five months.  I agreed and it was done the following week. A few hours after they called to set up the new evaluation, I receive a call from the Executive COO of CHC, who wanted to reassure me that CHC wants to make sure Lisa gets all the benefits she qualifies for and he gave me his personal number to reach out to him with any concerns.

The next day, I was told the PRO hours were being reinstated, however, of the 47 PAS hours awarded weekly, they would be DEDUCTING 10.5 due to her nutritional needs being under the monitoring of a feeding pump.  I told them I would not accept this ruling and that I would continue the appeals process on this, too.  The next morning, I sent a letter to the COO (who called me the week before) letting him know that this felt retaliatory in nature and I would be discussing this in the Fair Hearing set for August 8th - because HHS mysteriously lost the recording to the original hearing and they insisted it must be done again before it can go to Administrative Review.  I also told him that KHOU intends to attend the hearing as a matter of following up on this story. I told him I didn't see how this was a wise use of CHC's resources to prolong this appeals process over $570 a month in benefits.  He called me later that same day (Friday July 25th) to say that there was some confusion and that they recalculated the evaluation results and she qualifies for the full 47 PAS, 30 PRO weekly and 720 RES annually.  He said a notification letter will be sent confirming these totals.  I am still waiting for the arrival of that letter.

This only turned out this way because you joined me in crying NO! Lisa and I will always be grateful for your investment in this fight.

This is just ONE person out of millions who don't have someone to fight for them.  Please send a clear message of "NO, we will not tolerate this for our disabled citizens," by placing your votes for those who have a desire to protect the weaker... people like veterans, elderly, and the disabled, like Lisa.  They deserve to have their dignity not compromised like this.  

It takes your voice.  Say NO through your voting ballot.

July 15, 2025 Update

The State Fair Hearing happened as scheduled and lasted about two hours with about 20 people on the call, of which all were there for CHC except for about 5. 

One was for Lisa to have her own feed so she could be visible (with her nurse by her side... sitting in another room so we wouldn't have feedback), and three supportive friends who sat in on the hearing to let the Hearing Officer know there are other people who are very concerned about her well being. 

I had the opportunity to voice my concerns and perception about how all of this has been managed by CHC. The Hearing Officer noted that particular documents that should have been submitted as exhibits for the hearing were missing.  

He asked thorough questions. In a nutshell, CHC was standing their ground that the code for Protected Supervision was intended for people who have issues like Alzheimer patients, who could wander out of a house or leave a burner on in the kitchen. 

The code governing the Protected Supervision aide hours says its for those with cognitive impairment or physical weakness who could come to harm if left alone. It also specifically says it is not intended for someone who can live independently.  

I argued that Lisa meets that criteria because she CLEARLY has "physical weakness" when she can't even reach up to scratch her nose.  She can not live independently.  

CHC stood by their reason for denial, which was "it's meant for people who could come into harm if left alone and since she is never left alone, she doesn't qualify."  

I pointed out that is a Catch-22 logic.  If she cannot live independently, then she is living with other people, which is what the code states.  And, if she would come into harm if left alone, then I could be charged with negligence for endangering her.  And, she may not wander out into a street, but when she starts to cough she begins to strangle on the secretions in her airway and her "physical weakness" (as outlined in the code) causes a blocked airway which is a danger if not attended to within minutes.

Lisa's wonderful nurse, Nikki, asked to be sworn in and told the Hearings Officer that because Lisa is still recovering from a bout of pneumonia (and that I was still recovering from it, too), I was required to spend the whole night for the past week at Lisa's bedside to keep her airway clear.  He said that since her condition has changed from the pneumonia, perhaps she should have a new evaluation.  He ordered CHC to conduct a new evaluation to see if she qualifies for any other nursing care (possibly increase her skilled nursing care).  I knew this was a pointless venture because, while she was recovering from pneumonia, it wasn't going to be justification to increase her skilled nursing care (those are the hours used while I am at my job).  Of course, the new evaluation changed nothing.  

On July 9th, he issued his ruling.  "Sustained" the actions of CHC."

The next step in the appeal process is an Administrative Review.  That's when the attorneys in Austin (with HHS) look over all the exhibits, notes, and watch the video of the hearing.  They will rule whether or not they think the Hearings Officer conducted the Hearing according to statute and if they concur with the findings.  

I'm submitting the request for the Administrative Review today.  

I have already resigned myself to the reality that this is a fight I will not win because this is most likely what they call on the inside a "Planned Denial" in line with the multi-billion dollar Medicaid cuts. (I also recently learned that nurses being paid through Medicaid programs have been told to expect a REDUCTION in their hourly rate, which is already not nearly competitive to private-pay rates.)  

The party line is that the federal government has declared 

they are going to "cut fraudulent use" of Medicaid.  

By nit-picking the eligibility requirements, they are in essence 

declaring us as fraudulently using Medicaid in a way it isn't intended.  

They're calling us frauds. 

Despite the fact that Medicaid representatives came into our home annually

 - for 12 years - and each of them awarded her this bank of hours 

stating they wished they could do more because she clearly needs it.  

TWELVE YEARS. 

The Code has not changed. 

The Law has not changed. 

Her condition has never improved.  

So, to take it away means they are changing the way they want 

to interpret the code so they can document "why" they are cutting her out.

We all know this is not about reducing fraud in Medicaid.  

Studies from state to state show that the fraud found was less than 3%

 (and in many states, less than 1%).

So how is it that there is "multi-billions of dollars" of fraud in Medicaid?  

The math ain't mathing, guys.

And how much is this cut?  $19,500 annually or $375 a week.

The Medicaid cuts aren't about fraud.

That's just their "spin" to get their sheeple to go along with it.  

The cuts are about "reducing tax burden" (lining the pockets) of the uber-wealthy, 

and they are happy to reduce needed support to millions of US citizens, like Lisa, 

without a thought to the consequences of their actions.   

Lisa is just one in millions who are facing a DRASTIC reduction in the quality of their lives.

The POTUS' nephew, Fred Trump III, has a son with severe disabilities. 

His uncle told him, "you should have let him die."  

That's the mentality that is driving this.  

No compassion for the weakest of us. 

In the immortal words of Ebenezer Scrooge, 

"If they would rather die, then they better do it... and decrease the surplus population."

I will continue the appeal fight to the end.  

I do this so it is heavily documented with the State of Texas

Department of Health and Human Services 

so that someday - when sanity returns to the government - 

they will have Lisa's record to use as an example of what NOT to do.

What can YOU do to help?  

Contact your state and federal representatives. 

Tell them your vote will go to those who are committed 

to protect Lisa and millions of others like her.

Your voice is loudest in the ballot box.

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May 9, 2025 Update

We have a State Fair Hearing set for May 14th to appeal for the lost hours cut from her Medicaid benefits that pay for an aide in our home.  We lost almost half of the weekly hours she has been awarded annually for the past 12 years on a "technicality" in the definition of how those hours are supposed to be used.  

The state awarded those hours without my request, 

so for 12 years, they never questioned if she qualified.  

Only now are they "looking" for any language that will warrant these damaging cuts

that the Federal Government is making on Medicaid recipients.  

Please pray we can get those hours reinstated in this appeal.  

I've already resigned myself to accepting it's a "Planned Denial," 

a term the insurance industry is using when they've already made up their minds 

that they are not going to approve something.  

But, I am also hopeful that if we can get the current administration swept out of office in the next four years, sanity will return to the offices that hold power over the millions of American citizens who are weak and vulnerable, like Lisa.

If you have any connections that can get me in front of the US Congress to speak on the atrocities happening to the most fragile voters, please help me get there.  Thank you.

~~~~~~~~

March 5, 2025 Update

On behalf of Lisa, THANK YOU for being a voice for her by contacting 

your Congressional representatives on behalf of disabled Americans.  

Please keep on holding our U.S. Senators and Representatives 

- along with our representatives at each state level - 

accountable for securing the safety and wellbeing of our disabled loved ones.

Progress has been made in our recent crisis.  Corrections are now underway

within Lisa's Medicaid program. I was given reassurances from the Ombudsman's Office

that Lisa's nursing and aide care "should" continue for another year.  

Time will tell if this actually falls into place.  

We still need to look beyond the next year for Lisa

and other vulnerable Americans so please send letters to US Congress.  

A new sample letter is provided in links below.  

It's in MS Word format, so you can customize it, 

and it is available as a pdf so you can just sign and send!

Please check on anyone you know who may need you to be their voice,

like you have for my sister.  Thank you again for your compassion 

and determination to help Lisa.  

Please keep helping others by contacting Congress!

~~~~~~~~

February 23, 2025

Lisa and millions of other disabled Americans need your help!  

Please write to your US Congress members and let them know that their lives matter!   

A blanket letter is ready to download.  See the link below!

Lisa is a 50 year old lady born with severe Cerebral Palsy.  

She currently lives with her sister, Catherine in Conroe, Texas.  

Each year, disability benefits received through Medicare and Medicaid are reduced. 

And, as of February 21, 2025, they've learned she's losing almost half

of the funding that provides her aide care through Medicaid.  

This is causing a crisis situation to manage the much-needed care for Lisa.  

Your help in flooding US Congress with her story will be deeply appreciated.