Issues
Introducing the issue
Understanding the Financial Implications:
A spinal cord injury, especially high tetraplegia, can lead to staggering medical costs. The first year post-injury can see expenses exceeding $1.3 million.
Every year thereafter can cost over $228,000.
With over 6,000 Tennesseans battling some form of spinal cord injury, the economic impact is palpable across the state.
Understanding the Financial Implications:
Individuals like myself lean heavily on state-sponsored aid such as Medicaid to offset the exorbitant medical expenses.
In Tennessee, Medicaid eligibility criteria restrict many from seeking employment or even marriage. To qualify, one's resources must remain below $2,000 and annual income below $19,392, causing many to make difficult life choices.
Employment vs. Essential Benefits:
Without a Pathway to TennCare in Tennessee, individuals are often forced into making heart-wrenching decisions.
The absence of such a program forces us to choose between pursuing employment (and family life) or retaining life-saving Medicaid benefits.
There's a pressing need for a system that understands and respects both our professional aspirations and the essential caregiving requirements, without forcing sacrifices on personal and familial fronts.
The Facts
Status(%) | AT Injury | Year 1 | Year 10 | Year 20 | Year 30 | Year 40 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Divorced | 9.5 | 11.2 | 19.2 | 23.8 | 24.7 | 17.9 |
Married | 32.7 | 32.0 | 33.6 | 36.0 | 39.4 | 42.9 |
Single | 51.6 | 50.4 | 41.6 | 35.1 | 29.3 | 14.3 |
Survey
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