Family Worries Son Will Die with New No Fault Auto Law Changes

NO FAULT AUTO INSURANCE LAWWENT IN TO EFFECT LAST WEEK.

BUTIT COULD END MEDICAL CARE FORMANY CRASH VICTIS.MOUR MICHAEL MARTIN BRINGS US THESTORY OF HOW IT'S AFFECTING AHUDSONVILLE FAMILY.A TERRIFYING SITUATION FOR THISFAMILYD ONGI EVERYTHING THEYCAN LEAVING CAREERS, TAKING OUTANOTHER MORTGAGE ONTHEIR ON THEIR HOME.

JUST SOTHEY CAN PAY CAREGIVERS TOTAKE CARE OF THEIR NOW 20-YEAR-OLD SON, WHO, BECAUSE OFHIS TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.

ANDSTRENGTH NEEDS 24-7 CARE.

BUTWITH THE RECENT NO FAULT AUTOLAWCHANGES, THEY ARE WORRIED THEIRSITUATION WILL FURTHERDETERIORATE AND IN THE END..WITHOUT THE CARE HE NEEDS, ENDUPLOSING THEIR SON.

AW ARNINGTHAT THERE ARE SOMEUPSETTING IMAGES IN THIS STORY,BUTWE FELT IT IMPORTANT TO SHARESOME OF THEM SO OURAUDIENCE CAN SEE THE DEPTH OFWHAT SOME FAMILIES ARE NOWGOING THROUGH.Greg, Zah'cs Father, ProvidesCare for hisSon 11.14 "we're really lookingat asituation where he's going toinjure himself,he's going to injure one of us,and it's justgoing to go spiraling downhillfrom there."IMAGINE IF YOU CAN.

YOUR CHILDCRYING OUT IN UNBEARABLEPAIN..

UNDOUBTEDLY AHEART-WRENCHING SITUATION, EVENWHEN YOU'RE THEER OTCOMFORT THEM.

BUT FOR THEPARENTS OF 20- YER-ALOD ZACH..WAITING FOR THE SOUND OF THEIRSON CRYING OUT IN AGONY..

IS ACONSTANT.

NAT 0.02 ZACH SIBHANDLED WELL VIDZACH WAS BORN WITH AUTISM.

BUTAS A KID HE WAS ALSO IN A CRASHTHAT LEFT HIM WITH A TRAUMATICBRAININJURY.

Greg, Zach's Father,Provides Care for hisSon 0.24 "As a result of thathe has these sudden severe painepisodes, where hebecomes extremely selfinjurious.

He triesto bash his head in with eitherhis fists oragainst a wall or floor."VOICE OF: Zach's Mom, ProvidesCarefor her Son 9:05 "this is ine mthiddle of the night too.

Iwake up to the screaming at twoandthree o'clock in the morning."HE NOW NEEDS 3 CAREGIVERS AT ALLTIMES TO WATC HIHM AND MAKE SUREHE ISN'T ABLE TO SERIOUSLYINJURE HIMSELF.

NAT 1.54INBOUND FEEDVIDEO Greg, Zach's Fahter,Provides Care for his Son 0:52"when he was younger, we used tobe able to intervene with justone personeventually became t woand thenthreepeople." ZACH'S CARE HAS BEENCOVERED VIATHE FAMILY'S NO FAULT INSURANCEBENEFITS THEY HAD AT THE TIME OFHIS ACCIDENT.

THROUGH ITNTA.

ANDLATER, NATIONWIDE.HIS CAREGIVERS, PROVIDED THROUGH3RD PARTYPROVIDERS.

UNTIL 3 YEARS AGO,WHEN HIS MOM CREATED HER OWNL-L-C TO HIRE AND STAFFCAREGIVERS,AFTER FINDING THAT OTHERAGENCIES SIMPLY DIDN'T HAVESTAFFERS OSF IGNIFICANT SIZETHAT COULD HANDLE ZACH.Greg, Zach's Father, ProvidesCare for hisSon 1.58 "So for last threeyears, they've been only evenpaying the rate that they usedtopay for independent contractors.And we'vebeen losing money hand over fisteversince trying to keep thisafloat, until we canget us a fair rate agreed to" SOWHILE THEY'VE HAD PROBLEMSBEING PROPERLY REIMBURSED SINCETHEN.

THE CUTS NOW IN EFFECT ASPART OF THE STEAT'S NEWINSURANCE LAW ARE MAKING THESITUATION MORE DIRE A 56 HOURCAP ON CARE PROVIDED BYFAMILY MEMBERS, AND A 45 PECERNTREDUCTION IN REIMBURSEMENTRATES FOR ANY MEDICAL CAREO NTCOVERED UNDER MEDICAIRE WHICHINCLUDES IN HOME CARE-GIVERS.Greg, Zach's Father, ProvidesCare for his Son 2.3 "N9owwith this law changed to try anduse that excuse to say thatbecause hismother started the agency, thatanythingabveo5 6 hours, because shehired thepeople, anything above 56 hoursis notanything they have to coveranymore."BETWEEN 13 CAREGIVERS, INCLUDINGMOM AND DAD, ZACHE RQUIRES ABOUT504 HOURS OF CAREA WEEK..

Greg, Zach's Father,Provides Care for hisSon 8.34 "It's like being at afirehouse and you'reyou're waiting for that bell toring and you gotyour eyes on the monitor." VO:Greg Runs in During AttackJennifer Heacock, ZC MServicesLLC, Administrative Manager 4.15"When he does go into self harm,it's like in second set, we haveto be there tohelp ihm to keep him safe.

Andeven in thatfew seconds that we are there tojump in toprevent him from hurtinghimself." HIS PARENTS ARECURRENTLY PAYINGTHEIR CAREGIVERS OUT OF POCKETFOR ANYTHING THEIR INSURANCEISN'T COVERING..

BOTH HAVERECENTLY HAD TO LEAVE FULL TIMEJOBS TO BE THEE RFOR ZACH.

VOICEOF: Zach's Mom, Provides Carefor her Son 13:29 "He is goingto die.

This is not just ajoke, or, you know, loisnghomes, we'lllose our home on top of it.

ButZack willdie.

And in a horrific manner."WHAT THEY NEED TO HAPPEN NOWGreg, Zach's Father, ProvidesCare for hisSon 12.40 "all we want is afair market rate, and be treatedlike any other agency, and notbe subjected to this 56 hourrule, whichshould never applied tos u inthe first place.Because we paid full price forunlimitedcare.

And that should be what weget."WHILE A LEGISLATVIE FIX WOULDSOLVE THEIR PROBLEM.THEY HOPE THEIR INSUARNCECOMPANY IS WILLING TOREIMBURSE THEM IN A WAY THATALLOWS THEM TO CONTINUE TOPROVIDE THEIR SON THE LEVEL OFCARETHEY HAVE SO LONG FOUGHT FOR.VOICE OF: Zach's Mom, ProvidesCare for her Son13:45 "I just want to keep myson alive.

Right?

It's all we'vebeen doing for years"NOW THE FAMILY TELLS ME THEYARELOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY OFTRYING TO ACCESS SOME OF THE 25MILLION SET ASIDE FOR CAREPROVIDERS WHO CAN PROVE A LOSSDUE TO THESE NEW NO FAULT AUTOCHANGES THAT WENT INTO EFFECTLAST WEEK.

ADVOCATES HAVE SAIDIT COULD TAKE MONTHS FOR CAREPROVIDRES TO ACTUALLY SEE ANYMONEY FROM THAT IN HAND, BUTASIDE FROM THEIR CONTINUEDEFFORTS AT NEGOTIATING WITHTHEIR INSURANCE COMPANY, IT'SONEOF THEIR ONLY OPTIONS TO KEEPTHEIR SON'S CARE LAFOAT.

LIVE INTHENEWSROOM, MICHAEL MARTIN, FOX 17NEWS.