On November 18, 2022, we were notified that the DMAS home visits will be “uncoupled” from the PHE rules that allowed virtual visits as opposed to home visits by CMS for people receiving Medicaid Waiver Services. We just received our FIS waiver this April for our special needs child who is 22. For the last 3 years or so, we have had mostly only telehealth visits with our doctors as well as our providers so as to protect our son during the pandemic. We have also had very limited in-home assessments where our child has been present but in another room that we felt that we were either forced to have or was an absolute necessity. We do not attend large events, visit malls, go food shopping, eat in restaurants or allow people outside our immediate family to have access to our son, especially not in our home. We understand the concern over the length of time some people have not been physically seen by their DMAS providers. If there are concerns about certain people receiving waivers that have not been physically seen, they should be addressed on an individual basis. Your social workers should be familiar enough with their families to know who they would need to see in person and who they don’t. They should be investigated for dereliction of their duty if they do not. The safety and the health of our son as well as that of the providers should be factored into any decision or decree made by your office. We would be exposing our son not only to the provider, but also to EVERYONE that person has been exposed to in the last 5 days. We are not in any way comfortable with that.

Your campaign was run on the premise that parents have a right to choose how their children are educated. As not only our son’s parents but his Legal Guardians, we believe we also have the RIGHT to decide who we allow into our home during a pandemic or at any time. Just because we receive a Medicaid waiver does not negate that right. We are sure that there are many people who have returned to “normal” and their lives. That is not the case for the majority of people with medical conditions that put them at greater risk of severe illness and/or death from COVID. It is certainly not the case for this family. In addition, direct quotes from your COVID-19 Action Plan website state: “The pandemic is not over, and we must all stay vigilant about the health risks of COVID-19.” And “As cases and hospitalizations begin to decline, we should individually and collectively consider our own risk tolerance and what precautions we might change as the pandemic evolves.” Does this not apply to our own family and home?

We are a proud, retired military family who made sacrifices to serve our country and protect our rights. We expect that you will return that in kind and uphold the sanctity of our home for the safety and well-being of not only our child, but our entire family. We look forward to your response.