Wisconsin native fighting to bring premature son home

WAUKESHA (CBS 58) – A Wisconsin native, now living in South Carolina is trying to get her baby back home. Her son was born early while she was visiting family in Wisconsin and says the insurance hasn’t stepped up to approve her son’s medical transport.

Megan Starich’s son Treyton was due at the end of March but was born while the Starich family was visiting family in Wisconsin for the holidays on December 26.

“It was so scary," Starich said. "He wasn’t breathing when he was born." 

Treyton has been in the NICU at Waukesha Memorial for 11 weeks. Megan stayed behind, while the rest of her family went back to South Carolina. She’s been living in housing provided for NICU parents near the hospital and visits him every day.

Treyton’s condition is improving but still needs oxygen to help him breathe. Starich said her son would need a level 3 medical transport to get back home. She would like to take Treyton back home to South Carolina but says neither BadgerCare or Medicare have approved the transport and she’s been getting the runaround.

“Everyone is hemming and hawing, BadgerCare says they pay, they say Badger pays,” Starich said.

Starich said her husband is a disabled veteran. She has two other young sons, one in a wheelchair with cerebral palsy that she needs to care for. The last time she saw her family was January 7.

“I miss my babies, I miss my husband,” Starich said. “I just want to get home.”

With another potential four months or longer for Treyton to be in the NICU, she’s hoping to find a solution soon.

“They see numbers and the cost, not how much damage it’s doing to a family,” Starich said.

The family set up this GoFundMe to help with costs. Click here to help. 

CBS 58 News reached out to BadgerCare and Medicare for comment Wednesday night, but haven’t heard back yet. The mother says Waukesha Memorial Hospital has been helping her through the process.