Montgomery, AL) Nick's crusade has conquered Medicaid. It's exciting news for a young mobile man who made history on Tuesday. He'll continue to receive at home nursing care beyond his 21st birthday. NBC 15 has exclusively followed Nick's crusade from the very beginning.

"I feel like their should be streamers and confetti and a band playing," says Nick's mother, Ruth Belasco.

Ruth describes the pride she feels for her son nick.

"I'm glad I won," Nick says.

With his small frame strapped to a wheelchair, Nick Dupree strolled out of the massive federal courthouse in Montgomery victorious and a winner. In a case of David verses Goliath, Nick defeated Alabama Medicaid.

"Instead of the care ending just because I turn a day older, it will continue," he says.

Nick, who has a rare form of muscular dystrophy, was due to lose his "at home" nursing care on his 21st birthday, which is a week and a half away. But before Tuesday's hearing, the Federal Government approved a new program for a small group of Alabama Medicaid patients which would extend at home nursing care for people with extreme disabilities. The new waiver would help 30 people this year.

"I'm really happy that I could make medicaid save 29 other people," Nick says. "I'm happy about that."

"This is about one person advocating to the Government and petitioning the Government over a number of years," says Nick's Lawyer, Larry Menafee, "and I also applaud the press that's enabled that to occur."

"That WPMI followed us was really important," Ruth says, "and I don't understand why other people didn't jump in. Although I bet they will now."

But Nick's crusade is not through. He will continue to fight. He says this is just the tip of the ice burg.

"I'm going to make it my life's work to continue with this until every person with disabilities in America has what they need," he says.

Meanwhile, while Nick was learning his fate in Montgomery, a small group of supporters gathered in Washington. outside of the White House on Nick's behalf.

Nick's 2 year crusade overcame many steep obstacles and powerful opposition. But Nick kept going. He took his fight to the state capital and Federal Court and now, for the first time, Nick knows his 21st birthday will be a celebration, not a vigil.

Nick's lawyers will review the details of Medicaid's new program. If satisfied, they will drop the lawsuit against the Governor and Medicaid's commissioner. Meanwhile, the program goes into effect on February 22nd, the day before Nick turns 21, which was when he was due to lose his at home nursing care.

http://www.wpmi.com/Global/story.asp?S=1125395&nav=3w5MDvMT