Caregivers legislation clears senate committee

<p align="justify">Full-time caregivers who are married to disabled people would be eligible for Medicaid payments under a measure that an Illinois Senate committee approved unanimously Wednesday.

<p align="justify">On a vote of 8-0, the Senate Human Services Committee advanced Senate Bill 2112 to the Senate floor. To become law, it must pass in the Senate and House of Representatives and get signed by the governor.

<p align="justify">The bill's lead sponsor, Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria, said he was inspired to seek the legislation after hearing from constituents, including Dennis and Kathi Kupferschmid of East Peoria.

<p align="justify">Kathi Kupferschmid was told she could receive caregiver payments only by divorcing her husband, who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease. It has paralyzed everything but his eyelids.

<p align="justify">In Illinois and most other states, full-time spousal caregivers cannot receive Medicaid payments, though other caregivers can. SB2112 would lift the restriction in Illinois.

<p align="justify">Koehler said he didn't know exactly how many people would be eligible for the payments if the measure becomes law, but that the number would be "relatively small," perhaps in the dozens.

<p align="justify">"The intent of this is not to open this up so wide that we're just inviting abuse," he said. "We don't want to do that."

<p align="justify">Other sponsors of the legislation include Sen. Dale Risinger, R-Peoria, and Larry Bomke, R-Springfield.

<p align="justify">Randy Wells, director of legislative affairs at the Illinois Department of Human Services, told committee members that the agency has some problems with the legislation but doesn't object to it "philosophically" and is willing to work with Koehler.

<p align="justify">"I'm pretty sure we can come up with a viable solution," Wells said.

<p align="justify">Adriana Colindres can be reached at (217) 782-6292 or adriana.colindres@sj-r.com.