By John Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - The single Butler County sheriff's deputy with a daughter needing around-the-clock attention has been given a six-week reprieve by the county's insurance carrier.

Anthem informed Butler County on Monday that it will cover 10 hours of skilled nursing care daily until May 2 for 23-month-old Alyse Lenzer, daughter of sheriff's Sgt. Jennifer Slayton.

The one-time extension gives Slayton coverage while seeking a Medicaid waiver, said Doug Duckett, county personnel director.

"I'm happy they're doing that," Slayton said Tuesday. "The Medicaid nurse is coming out Thursday to do an assessment of Alyse."

The company had cut off in-home care for Alyse on March 8, after Slayton had lost three appeals since Anthem took over the policy for Butler County employees on Jan. 1. The county's two previous carriers, Humana and Cigna, had paid for Alyse's in-home skilled nursing care, she said.

Slayton took vacation last week from her job as the 3-11 p.m. county jail shift supervisor to care for her daughter.

Alyse has brain defects and epileptic seizures, and must be connected 24 hours a day to feeding and gastric relief tubes. She can't eat by mouth or speak. The toddler also is partially deaf and legally blind.

County commissioners, infuriated that Anthem was dropping an employee with expensive medical needs, had asked the company to reconsider its decision.

Slayton, who also attends police training courses weekday mornings, said she would be forced to quit her job if she doesn't have home nursing care provided by Medicaid or the insurance company.

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com