Caring for children with cystic fibrosis is a full-time job. Parents who need to work outside the home often find themselves in a difficult situation. Parents may feel torn between staying home to provide care for their child and going to work to meet financial needs, maintain health insurance coverage, or accomplish career goals.
Children with CF require much more care than a regular childcare provider can offer. One option that some families use is training a close friend or family member to care for their child, but what can be done if no friend or family is available? Many states have a solution to offer in Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care Centers (PPECs).
PPECs have been in existence for over 20 years, but most people are not aware of them. A PPEC is a medical daycare center for children with special healthcare needs. Designed to provide care that standard daycare centers can’t provide, PPECs are staffed by nurses, therapists, and nurse assistants. Children receive medications and treatments by trained personnel. PPEC is generally much cheaper than home health nursing, so Medicaid and Medicare usually cover the service. Some private insurance companies also recognize the cost savings and cover PPEC services.
