Menu

 MFTD Waiver Families

Support for families of children in the Medically Fragile, Technology Dependent Waiver

Associated Programs

The following are associated programs that complement the MFTD Waiver to provide children with even greater benefits.  They include the Health Insurance Premium Program (HIPP), Electricity Reimbursement, Parking Placards, Medicaid DME Supplies, Diapers, and Medicaid Pharmacy.

HIPP

The Health Insurance Premium Payment Program (HIPP) is a special program for individuals with a high level of medical expenses who hold private insurance or have access to private insurance in addition to Medicaid. This program will pay the cost of your private health insurance, including comprehensive employer-based policies, individual policies, and COBRA policies. Virtually all children accepted into the MFTD Waiver will qualify if they apply. Fill out the application and submit it along with 6 months of insurance statements. In most cases, you will need to submit copies and then receive reimbursement for your insurance premium payments, though some COBRA payments may be made directly. Save all your insurance EOBs, because you will need to submit these every 6-12 months as well.

Electricity Reimbursement

Children with medical technology may be eligible to receive a partial electricity reimbursement for the electricity used to power their medical equipment. Contact your DSCC care coordinator, who must complete and submit the application for you, along with copies of your electricity bills every 6 months. Your reimbursement will be directly applied to your bill. More information is available here.

In addition, any child with lifesaving medical equipment should contact your electricity provider to be put on their list of individuals using life support equipment. Some companies provide priority restoration to these families, and they will not cut off your electricity without helping you make arrangements in advance.

Parking Placards

Children under the age of 18 who are disabled are entitled to both handicapped plate/placard and a special meter-exempt placard that exempts them from paying parking meters. First you need to print out this form from the Secretary of State's Office. Then download this instruction sheet to help you obtain your meter-exempt placard. Note that the instructions on the Secretary of State's website and the certification form incorrectly state you must have a driver's license in order to qualify for a meter-exempt placard. This is not true, as children under age 18 are also covered by the law providing meter-exempt placards.

Medicaid DME Supplies

If you are unsure what supplies are covered by Medicaid, you can get the latest information on the DME Fee Schedule page of the HFS website. Use your computer's Find function to search each document for the supplies you need.

Diapers

Medicaid covers diapers for children over the age of four who are diagnosed with incontinence. Children may receive up to 200 diapers, briefs, pullups, or a combination thereof each month. They may also receive up to 120 pads or guards per month. Also available are up to 150 disposable underpads per month. For more information, see Medicaid's Incontinence page.

The primary providers in Illinois are Shield Healthcare and HDIS, although regular home health agencies may be willing to supply diapers as well.

Children may receive greater quantities of supplies under Medicaid EPSDT rules if their doctors submit a letter of medical necessity.

Medicaid Pharmacy Information

Please visit the following pharmacy pages to determine what medications are covered, which require prior approval, and how to obtain prior approval.