A “share your story” submission - Washington
My 70-year-old brother-in-law ran his own business for years in Washington and Alaska. Ten months ago, he suffered an accident that caused high-spinal-cord injury. He's now a quadriplegic. He will soon have spent down all his life's savings, and will depend on Medicaid for his very life – his respirator, his 24-hour nursing care.
He paid taxes, employed people, worked hard (usually 7 days a week) for 50 years. Cuts in Medicaid will mean fewer staff to answer his call button – when he can't breathe and is choking. It will mean less care, more skin ulcers and pneumonias, an earlier death.
My brother-in-law has no other options.
