For weeks, Mary Lewis has wondered what will happen to her caregivers if payment troubles persist between the Ohio Department of Medicaid and third-party billing sites. Lewis was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic neurological condition which weakened her muscles so much that she relies on a rotation of caregivers to get her out of bed, brush her teeth, cook her meals and assist with other daily tasks. But Lewis's caregivers, who are self-employed through an Ohio Medicaid waiver for disabled adults to receive home-based care, have been working without pay for weeks as the agency and third-party billing sites work to resolve site glitches.
