Prayer needed for medical items!

Will you please join us in prayer for insurance to meet Elijah's medical needs.

Elijah has medicaid and medicaid doesn't want to pay for anything.

Elijah has been tube fed since he was 2 years old and we have went through a lot of big bulky pumps that have to remain plugged into a wall outlet for feedings. These pumps were not portable. At one time he was able to get a pump that was supposed to be portable, but it alarmed so much when we'd leave the house it was worthless.

Finally at one time we had Blue Cross Ins. and were able to get a Zevex pump (pictured below).

We loved it, great portable pump! Elijah was able to wear it in a small backpack made for this pump and it worked great. We had this pump and backpack for 5 years. The backpack tore up long ago, but we have still managed to use it. With the inside of the bag being tore up it made the pump alarm more then it should because the bag of formula wouldn't stay in place.

Now the pump has died.

It is a long drawn out process trying to get a new pump. Of course Medicaid doesn't want to supply him a new pump, not to even mention the backpack so he can be mobile. I've went over and over all this with medicaid and they either don't care or don't understand.

Elijah's doctor has wrote prescriptions explaining why Elijah needs a certain pump.

Elijah is an 8 year old active boy who needs to be on the go and able to do things. I can't imagine him having to be on the couch 10 or more hours a day getting feedings.

Friday Medicaid supplied us with a pump that will not fit in a backpack so as of right now Elijah is stuck at home dragging an IV pole around with him.

For 2 weeks now I've been on the phone daily, most days all day long with medicaid and DME companies trying to find one to accept what Medicaid pays and be able to supply the pump we need, formula, formula bags, extension tubes, syringes and his feeding button.

Each day watching our formula supply go down. I tried to explain that we were running out of formula. Thursday we were down to enough formula to last that evening. I finally got them to understand he couldn't go 4 days without food so they overnight us 1 box of formula to last us the weekend.

Imagine my surprise when I opened it Friday and found that the formula is now in new smaller single serving packets so it's still not enough to last the weekend, but we are trying to make due with smaller feedings. We are supposed to get more formula delivered Monday.

Monday I will begin the battle again for a portable pump.

I guess I will tell Medicaid that if they can't supply him with a portable pump, then they can pay for nursing care since he will be home bound with the pump they supply.

I hate even having to depend on Medicaid, but I have no other choice. His formula alone is $120.00 every 2 1/2 days. That's not even for his bags, tubes, button, syringes, daily meds and other medical needs. It's a shame these companies charge so much for medical supplies.

This is the pump that we had for 5 years. We would be happy to end up with this pump again.

This is the pump we really want. It is smaller then the pump above and will fit in a backpack or a waist pack. This pump is the new and improved pump by Zevex and has less alarms and such. Kids can truly be active with this pump. I'm told they can hang upside down on monkey bars and this pump will still work.

This is like the backpack either pump can fit in. These backpacks are special made with places to attach the bag of formula and a place that holds the pump. Can you believe they charge over $100 for these backpacks? We would be happy to get a new backpack, although Elijah does not want red.

This is the waist pack that Elijah really wants. He is at the age where he is embarrassed about his pump and doesn't want other kids to see it. If he had the waist pack maybe his shirt could cover up the pack. He would be so thrilled if they approved to pay for this, but again these are even over $100. We would actually like to get a backpack and a waist pack to be able to change up, but we'll be doing great to just get one.

Our prayer request are;

1. Formula and supplies will arrive Monday. I can figure out the new packages and how much more formula he will need to last a month and they approve the new figure.

2. Medicaid will approve the Infinity pump, waist pack and backpack or at least the pump and waist pack.

3. If they won't approve the Infinity pump, we need them to at least approve with EnteraLite pump. Elijah needs to be mobile!

Thanks you so much for joining us in prayer for these needs to be met. God has been so good to us and I know he can handle these needs.

Here is what the Zevex company has to say about the Infinity pump. Doesn't this sound great for an 8 year old active boy!

Small, highly accurate and truly portable, the EnteraLite Infinity allows tube fed patients the ability to participate in physical activity, without being held back by their feeding pumps.
Surpassing all other enteral pumps, the EnteraLite Infinity provides active freedom. Use of an enteral feeding pump no longer needs to be a major limitation to the user’s daily schedule.
Designed for both hospital and alternate care use the EnteraLite Infinity’s size, weight, accuracy, and portability promote and support physical activity. Enteral nutrition consumers can now gain the benefits from health-improving physical activity by utilizing new technology that supports active freedom.