Polk County threatens benefits of Ms. Wheelchair Iowa over fundraising

This year’s “Ms. Wheelchair Iowa” is in danger of losing her medical benefits because of the effort to raise money for her trip to the national “Ms. Wheelchair U-S-A” competition. Ruth Evans of Des Moines has been paralyzed for 30 years and won the state “Ms. Wheelchair” title last month. A Polk County social worker learned that folks were contributing money to send Evans to the national competition, so Evans received a letter saying her food stamps and Medicaid benefits would end June 30th because her “household income” was growing. Evans doesn’t have a paying job and can’t get regular insurance because of her injury. She’s gotten a temporary reprieve to file some paperwork about the fundraising, but there’s no guarantee that will ensure she keeps getting the government benefits.Evans says the money that’s being raised will only be used to cover the costs of her appearance in the national competition in Maryland. She says it’s not her household income.Evans, who is 48-years-old, was injured in a pick-up truck accident when she was 18 and has been wheelchair-bound ever since.