INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Families of medically complex children will be guaranteed some form of reimbursement under Indiana legislation approved Friday night, but specifics will remain up to the state Medicaid agency.

One of the last pieces of legislation lawmakers approved Friday would require the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) to set aside a share of reimbursements under the structured family caregiving program for the families themselves.

An earlier version of the bill would have set that share at 80%, but the final version leaves the amount up to the agency.

Rep. Jeff Thompson, a Republican from Lizton, says FSSA officials told him families probably will end up getting 50% or 60%.

The agency will have to provide a report on how it approves waivers for people to use the program. It also will have to explain exactly what happened that led to a projected billion-dollar shortfall and the efforts to prevent it from happening again.

The switch from attendant care to structured family caregiving means a significant change for parents who used the program to maintain a source of income while caring full-time for children with numerous long-term medical issues.

The attendant care program reimburses Medicaid providers at an hourly rate of roughly $34 per hour while the structured family caregiving program provides a daily reimbursement of between $77 and $133 depending on the level of need.

FSSA officials in December announced a sudden rise in the number of families taking part in the attendant care program had contributed to the shortfall.

Jessica DeWitt, who takes part in the program to care for her 16-year-old son, watched the final negotiations outside the House chamber. She says the plan means she probably will still lose half to three-quarters of the income she received under the existing attendant care program. She says she now has to start figuring out how to cut expenses.

“That may mean selling our home, that may mean selling vehicles, getting rid of our wheelchair van, whatever it takes in order to ensure that we keep a roof over our kid’s head,” she said. “At the end of the day, we still have to provide that care regardless of what the state says.”

House Speaker Todd Huston, a Fishers Republican, says it’s too soon to say how changes to the attendant care program will affect those taking part in it. “We’ve put some important guardrails in there, we’ve obviously prioritized the families in this entire discussion,” he said. “I would tell people, like anything else, let’s wait and see what’s implemented.”

FSSA officials have said families can continue using the current attendant care program through June 30.