My husband always made too much money for us to qualify for any welfare programs, so we are not receiving any help. However, he is a contractual engineer, and he is not offered benefits. We have to purhase individual health plans, and the cost is around $700 a month for medical dental, and vision, and prescription. We have tried to get insurance with big companies, who will not take my CAH kids AT ALL because of pre-existing condition. Blue-Cross quoted me $1170 per month during open enrollment. I don't know how many of you can afford that, not many people can and I know we can't. We are currently without insurance and my husband is looking for a permanent job with benefits, but that will mean a pay cut for him. My point is that my husband was just laid off and now we are in trouble. We only have our savings to live on and I have no choice but to apply for help from SSI and medicaid. I don't consider my children diswabled, but if my husband and I can not make enough money to provide medicine, my kids will die, and so under SSI guidelines, they will probably qualify. We hope my husband will have a job before we even need or qualify for benefits, but I believe that is what the system is there for. A little help when families need it, not a crutch to lean on if you have the ability to handle it on your own. My children are capable of everything non-CAH kids are and will be able to work when they are older, and I don't want them to think otherwise.