Normally, comments are allowed as part of the vetting process before legislation is signed into law.  However, I am the parent of an autistic child who think it drastic to suddenly drop financial assistance to families with special needs children from 100 to zero percent.  This legislation may have appeared more sensitive to families like us if the State proposed reducing its share, say 75 or even 50 percent.  It would have even made more sense to pro-rate based on the ratio of Medicaid eligible children in the household; but to suddenly take away all financial assistance for special needs children under the HIPP is shortsighted and does not make long term economic sense.  Families like us now have to figure how to make up for this sudden loss in  financial support.  What would happen if these children were to become wards of the State because of the increased financial hardship resulting from insensitive actions like this?   Shifting costs within the State Budget does not create savings overall.  Anyway, my hope is that someone will revisit this bill and balance the need to address the budget with that of increasing financial hardships on the families with special needs children.  Parents want to provide for our special needs children but legislation like this make it more and more difficult to do so.

Thanks for the opportunity to comment.