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What are the criteria for the Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund?

On Behalf of | Aug 28, 2014 | Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury may result from an impact on the spine by an external physical force, which can then affect the nervous system. Such impacts can leave a patient a paraplegic or a quadriplegic. A head injury resulting from a similar impact can also cause an altered or diminished state of consciousness resulting in a cognitive impairment or reduced physical functioning.

This kind of impairment may be permanent or temporary in nature and cause complete or partial functional disability, with or without psychological maladjustment. In Louisiana, there is a program for patients suffering from such head or spinal cord injuries. It is called the Trust Fund Program and it can help patients pay their medical bills. The program is sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals.

Patients must meet eligibility criteria in order to enter the Program. First, the patient must meet the criteria for traumatic head injury or spinal cord injury as defined by the Department of Health & Hospitals. The patient also needs to exhibit normal vital signs, be medically stable and not be in a state of deterioration of cognitive or physical status. There must also be a reasonable expectation to reach an improved quality of life and functional outcome after treatment.

The patient must willingly accept treatment from the facility or program that is approved by the Trust Fund. Domicile details for the patient must also follow the provisions of the Department of Health & Hospitals. Most importantly, the patient must have exhausted all other private sources as well as government sources of funding for their medical services. The patient must prove to the department that other funding sources have denied the patient financial help. Finally the patient must submit a completed application in order to enter the Trust Fund Program.

Source: DHH.Louisiana.gov, “Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund,” Accessed on Aug. 20, 2014

Source: DHH.Louisiana.gov, “Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund,” Accessed on Aug. 20, 2014

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