KCUR on Thursday shined the spotlight on the troubling experience Prairie Village resident Finn Bullers has had trying to navigate KanCare, Kansas’s Medicaid administration program.
Bullers, a former Kansas City Star reporter who suffers from Muscular Dystrophy, has received round-the-clock in-home medical assistance, helping him adhere to medication regiments, to clean and cloth himself, and to prepare food.
But as part of KanCare move to examine costs, several thousand KanCare recipients have had their service levels evaluated. United Healthcare, the company that manages Buller’s Medicaid, told Bullers his attendant care services will be cut by 75 percent. The cuts are scheduled to go into effect Nov. 1.
It’s a move that Bullers’ physician told KCUR she finds troubling:
Dr. Laurie Fisher, Buller’s doctor for more than ten years, says she was not consulted when United reevaluated Bullers, and she disagrees with the company’s decision.
“I understand that there’s concern about people misusing the health system or that certain people get more care than they probably truly need,” says Fisher. “But I really feel like Finn is a very appropriate candidate for 24-hour care and needs it to continue to be able to live.”
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