While we typically associate hospice care with the elderly end of the age spectrum, a growing need and understanding has led to its availabity among infants as well. For an Orlando, FL couple whose daughter was born with a rare disease that has resulted in her only being 11 pounds at 5 months old, hospice care has provided not only needs medical insurance support, but advice and understanding as well. Diana, the mother of Angelica who will most likely never reach her first birthday, is thankful for having what has become almost a “second family.”  Diana has given up her job to spend as much time with her daughter as possible and relies on Medicaid to provide the nursing assistance that helps keep Angelica alive in her little Florida apartment. Florida was in fact the first state in the nation to authorize Medicaid to be used for such a purpose among children and not strictly the elderly. The program is currently available in seven Florida counties, but may soon spread to an eight. Advocates feel that it allows parents to continue searching for a cure, while having some quality of life with their children and receiving emotional support and counseling to make it through the ordeal. What are your thoughts on the state funding these programs? Is it money well spent, or a waste of funds given the unlikely survival rate of these cases?

1. hope mercer Says:
   December 8th, 2008 at 7:40 am

   The Seattle City Council today tried to speed up the Mercer Street project by agreeing to release $30 million for design work and land purchases next year. In a budget meeting, the council loosened its financial oversight — by