Vent: why do budget cuts always target the disabled?

[dclfun]

I just have to vent. I was reading our local newspaper yesterday ( we live in Polk County, Fla) to read that the newly necessary budget cuts will now be likely including cuts to the needy, of course. One of the cuts would be the Medicaid Medically Needy program which is for disabled and chronically ill people who cannot afford medical care. This includes people who need transplant drugs, which will be my son once he finally gets a transplant. Because my son worked for a year in his young life he HAS to take SSDI instead of SSI so he gets Medicare vs. Medicaid and will need this program next month to fund his dialysis once his COBRA runs out. One writer mentioned that it's a great way for the state to save money since the dead people produced by the cuts will no longer need funding for medical care. We recently had our own population approve a cut in property taxes which has sent everything into a tailspin as I knew it would plus the credit and money crisis affecting everyone. For some reason removing the sales tax exemption that many businesses have here in Fla ( accountants, box seats at the ballpark, etc) is "impossible" but it's okay to kill someone by taking away their medical care. Why is it that when a cut is needed, they go right to someone who needs help the most and take it away while protecting businesses who would survive just fine by collecting sales tax for their services. I'm just so sick of fighting and feeling scared that the rug will be pulled out from under us and death or homelessness is our only option. Why did I work and pay taxes all my life and continue to do so when someone who never cared to work ( not those who can't but those who won't) get free medical care and those who worked are screwed? Why do the cuts always go first to the disabled and ill?---Kathy

 

[Schmeck]

A lot of it has to do with the fact that everything else is also down to the bare bones, at least here in MA it is. Health care costs have just been allowed to skyrocket, and everyone is scrambling to find ways to make ends meet. IMO, the health care system is just out of control now. Every time the plant my husband works at is sold to a new owner, our health care costs rise and our benefits drop. What used to be covered 100% with a $5 co-pay is now covered 80% with $20 co-pay and a $2500 deductible. Sometimes I feel like an automobile, not a human.

 

[LauraVV]

I just have to vent. I was reading our local newspaper yesterday ( we live in Polk County, Fla) to read that the newly necessary budget cuts will now be likely including cuts to the needy, of course. One of the cuts would be the Medicaid Medically Needy program which is for disabled and chronically ill people who cannot afford medical care. ...Why do the cuts always go first to the disabled and ill?

Because most people are not disabled. For some reason it's more important to provide medicaid to the children of middle class parents (who have it available at work or who choose cable, cell phones, or having multiple cars instead of paying for commercial insurance) than it is to cover the disabled.

If your son has SS he should qualify for medicaid and then, after 2 years medicare.

 

[Schmeck]

Because most people are not disabled. For some reason it's more important to provide medicaid to the children of middle class parents (who have it available at work or who choose cable, cell phones, or having multiple cars instead of paying for commercial insurance) than it is to cover the disabled.

If your son has SS he should qualify for medicaid and then, after 2 years medicare.

Why are the middle class to blame? Middle class here in MA means both parents are working full time, trying to pay for the increase in gas and food prices, watching property tax rates go up, etc. Many 'middle class' families are working at jobs that do not provide insurance, and here in MA you have to be insured. My family struggles to pay for medical expenses that insurance doesn't cover (there's a few in the bills folder right now, and a $3000+ dental one soon) but we don't have any state or federal assistance offered to us. We just keep on paying, one way or another.

I'm still blaming the skyrocketing, out of control insurance costs for assistance cuts - we're cutting employees in town because the town can't afford the benefits and insurance fees.

 

[ecki]

Because the poor and disabled don't vote. And honestly there's a lot of people who resent giving "us" any help. They think we want "free" money A person I "know" online was so desperate she had to go on Dr. Phil for help. And she got a LOT of flack from a lot of people about it.

"Regular" people don't understand that we are not looking for a handout -- just a hand.

 

[Schmeck]

But the problem is that the helping hand is getting too expensive for the ones that pay for it - medical costs are out of control, and the taxpayers just can't cover the costs of medicare/medicaid any more, because the tax payers are also paying more for insurance, food, gas, etc.

Here in MA it's not just the disabled that are losing services, we all are losing services. Our town now charges families for school sports, bus passes, and to be in honor societies, etc. The federal government has cut back on money to the state, the state has cut back money to the town, and the taxpayer is made to make up for it. If this continues, then we are all going to be looking for a hand - as we all become homeless because we cannot afford the property tax, we will lose our vehicles because of the excise tax and auto insurance, and we lose our jobs because we are homeless and without transportation.

Of course those in the political circle of protection get richer and richer - the oil companies are making record profits, the contractors in with the Iraq mess are getting how much $$$ for a hammer and a few nails?

And it's only going to get worse, until the recession is called a recession and hopefully doesn't turn into a depression - because then the government will have to cut even more services down to the basic "Feed 'em and clothe 'em" routine.

 

[LauraVV]

Why are the middle class to blame?

I'm sorry. I don't mean it's the middle class. I mean it's people expecting to have it all, thinking that we should be cared for. We tend to think we need it all: new cars (with payments), cell phones, multiple TVs with cable, big homes, frequent restaurant dinners, etc. but then say we can't afford health insurance.

I have a family member who says he can't afford testing strips for his glucometer but can afford $1000 payments for two new cars and just purchased a car for his 16 year old. It's just that type of thinking that gets me. Why shouldn't we pay for participation in sports, bus passes, etc?

Getting back to the point of the original post, I think it's a shame that we don't care for our disabled population better than we do.

 

[Schmeck]

And it's scary too, to think of how illness and/or a disability can just wipe out everything you've worked for. I watched a loved one not only lose her only child, but also go really deeply into debt because social security denied her claim. The irony is if the appeal goes through, it'll pay for the funeral/marker.

My husband is thinking of getting a less stressful, closer to home job, but since I have had melanoma, he has to make sure that my 'pre-existing condition' is covered under new insurance. I already lost my life insurance coverage when the plant he worked for was sold to a new owner.

Now, I'm not disabled, nor supporting a dependent who is disabled, but the current state of our health care system frightens me too. I don't think just benefits to the disabled are being cut though, I think the cuts are everywhere, to everything! It's a recession, and everyone but the wealthy are feeling it. When the wealthy feel it, it's a depression...

 

[dclfun]

I agree about funding for children getting out of hand and people feeling they deserve subsidized assistance. When I read about people earning up to 80K being able to qualify for KidCare in Florida but someone making 10K and is over 18 being denied basic care there just isn't an ounce of fairness there. Sure, the government wants to keep those 80K earners fueling the economy by spending their money on consumer products vs. healthcare. Those who make 10K or less don't have discretionary income so they don't matter. My son gets Medicare because his father died before he was 21 and he became disabled before he was 21- Medicare covers less than Medicaid. Same for me...I worked all my life but because right now I can't afford to buy a new van to be adapted by VR then my choices when my current one dies is to die myself or live in a facility since I won't be able to work any longer due to no transportation. No, there's no public transportation to my job site and I'm not really "employable" if I did have a bus system I could use ( who would hire someone on a ventilator 24/7 who needs a caregiver?). Oh well...I guess it's down to survival of the fittest- we're not much different than our chimpanzee ancestors.---Kathy

 

[ecki]

The whole devaluing of the disabled is frightening to me. Do you know what one of the first things people ask me when they find out I have a child with Down syndrome -- "Did you have an amnio?" Like it's anyone's business! But the whole idea that the disabled are such a drain on society is becoming very popular. Why else do they push screening for Down syndrome so early? Or why there's a 90% termination rate for prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome? How do we in the disabled community justify the "high costs" of our children when society would rather we didn't have them in the first place and if we do, then believe we should raise them without any help?

 

[Disneylvr]

The whole devaluing of the disabled is frightening to me. Do you know what one of the first things people ask me when they find out I have a child with Down syndrome -- "Did you have an amnio?" Like it's anyone's business! But the whole idea that the disabled are such a drain on society is becoming very popular. Why else do they push screening for Down syndrome so early? Or why there's a 90% termination rate for prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome? How do we in the disabled community justify the "high costs" of our children when society would rather we didn't have them in the first place and if we do, then believe we should raise them without any help?

It is very frightening. I am a children's librarian and a couple of years ago I was inspired to have a few library programs for young children with developmental disabilties. I believe in inclusion, but so many parents are reluctant to bring their special needs childeren to our other storytimes and programs.... Anyway, I wrote a grant through Target stores and we received funding for 3 programs; musical, yoga and a sensory storytime... The programs were SOOOO successful and well attended that I went to our Friends of the Library organization and request temporary funding for more programs until I could write another grant... We are not allowed to use general library funds for such a specific audience, and that is why I went to our Friends association instead. One woman in the Friends (who only shows up to the ocassional Board meeting to vote for or against things) was completely against providing funds, not one dime. "Who put a bee in her bonnet.." were her exact words about me! She managed to bully the rest of the Friends into voting her way and the programs were denied funding. I was speechless. Thankfully I just received another grant for 6 more programs but there was a 6 month gap in services. It her kind of attitude towards the disabled that angers, saddens and disgusts me. Too many people believe they have no right to enjoy life, have decent health care, a good education or to even exist.

 

[ecki]

I believe in inclusion, but so many parents are reluctant to bring their special needs childeren to our other storytimes and programs....

I always make sure to drag my kids into the community. I took Kayla to library story times, the local playground, pancake breakfasts -- whatever. Sometimes it's hard. The first time I brought her to pick up my older daughter from Girl Scouts, she was flapping and licking everything in sight including the floor and the girls' shoes. The other moms just STARED at her and didn't say a thing to me.

But it's important for people to get to know her. For the most part the only people who care about disability issues are those who have a family member or friend who is disabled or are "in the field" (therapists, teachers, etc.). I have to admit before I had Kayla I was one of those who didn't understand why so much of the school budget was devoted to special ed instead of talented and gifted programs. Why spend so much money on those least able to contribute to society? So I understand where "they" are coming from. Everything is done on a "cost/benefit" anaysis, matters of the heart or dignity or even plain human decency don't come into play.

 

[dclfun]

Thanks to those who have lent some support. I don't feel I'm a drain on society at all, nor is anyone's disabled family member. I'm a taxpayer too and pay just as much as anyone else toward all government services and even things I don't believe in, like the war. Even for those who aren't taxpayers there is value in a diverse world and each of us is here for a reason. While some can't contribute monetarily there are other gifts to be shared if people could only see that. I'm tired of being told we "cost too much" or we're a "drain on taxpayers". Look at all the other drains besides saving a human life right here in our own country for someone who, through no fault of their own, either permanently or temporarily can't work due to a disability/illness and needs health care. ---Kathy

 

[WheeledTraveler]

dclfun, I agree completely. I make similar rants a fair bit, although, a lot of mine focus only on healthcare since I'm about to graduate college and don't know what I'm going to do (other than get my parents to pay for COBRA for awhile, probably).

I always make sure to drag my kids into the community. I took Kayla to library story times, the local playground, pancake breakfasts -- whatever. Sometimes it's hard. The first time I brought her to pick up my older daughter from Girl Scouts, she was flapping and licking everything in sight including the floor and the girls' shoes. The other moms just STARED at her and didn't say a thing to me.

Can I just say how happy I am to hear that you get your daughter out and about? I was at the NY/NJ Abillities Expo yesterday and one of the reasons I love going to that expo and other similar ones is that people come and bring their kids (both disabled and non-disabled). I so rarely see in the "regular" world kids with disabilities and I really wish I saw more. I wasn't visibly disabled as a kid and knew very few visibly disabled kids and I really do think that it makes a difference to have the visibility. As well, it's a way of helping other parents not be ashamed of their kids with disabilities, etc.

 

[SueM in MN]

One writer mentioned that it's a great way for the state to save money since the dead people produced by the cuts will no longer need funding for medical care.

Ever since we realized that my youngest DD was disabled, I've always been horrified to think that if we had lived in Nazi Germany, she would have been one of the first to be sent to the gas chambers - a drain on society.

The saddest thing in this whole sad situation in the US is that there are people WHO ARE NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT that they would agree with what the Nazis did to people with disabilities. Maybe they would not round them all up and send them to gas chambers - too public and too messy, but the end result is the same whether the people are killed outright or killed by removal of services they need to survive.

Just last week, there were some articles in our newspapers about the state of Minnesota wanting to use some funds for other purposes that are currently in a fund to pay for health care costs. One of the articles said something about it being a "piggybank that could be used to pay for other things". The problem with that thinking is the money in that fund came from a special tax on health care services that was collected from anyone providing health care and the money was specifically collected so that money to pay for health care costs.
While that discussion is going on, they are also talking about how much tax money will go to pay for the new Twins baseball field and the proposed new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings Football Team.

 

[mechurchlady]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics
http://www.amphilsoc.org/library/mole/a/aes.htm#boxfolder2

http://www.waragainsttheweak.com/
Chapter 1 is a bit too adult as is most of eugenics.

One movement that was big about 80-100 years ago was Eugenics and many a person suffered in America from that program. I cry every time I get near this subject matter. Can you imagine someone like Forrest Gump being sterilized because he was not quiet right. It scares me that back then my momma and me could have been in one of them asylums. I have too many aspie signs, too many ODD and ADD type symptoms and even if I never know what is wrong with me I know that I could have been one of them. over 40,000 "feeble minded" people of whom many were not mentally retarded let alone low intelligence to the point of needing sterilization.

 

[dclfun]

Disaster planners for large cities have proposed in their current plans to treat injured people who will be likely to survive and ignore those who won't, aka the disabled and chronically ill. Disabled people are to be treated last if any resources remain or if they're still alive after everyone else has received care. To see this spelled out in a document is pretty shocking. We have only to look at hurricane Katrina to see the "survival of the fittest" mentality. Those who had little money or resources were left to die while our president flew overhead in a helicopter and commented on the good meals he'd had in New Orleans. Look at the Terri Schiavo case even though other issues were involved there. Many people supported her "right to die" because she was a financial drain and if she didn't hurry up and die her husband wouldn't get any of the settlement money that was given for her care. It really wasn't about her life, quality of life, or even advance directives- it was about resources and money and who has a life worth living while draining someone elses financial gain.---Kathy

 

[KPeveler]

While I am not that bad yet (i can even still walk unaided a couple days a month), everyone knows i will simply get sicker (i am 23 now)... i keep having people suggest i get trained in something i can do at home now, like medical coding or something.... even though i am a grad student focusing in Middle East studies, which this country really does need. basically because i will be bad someday, i should give up now...

well, i am NOT giving up. yes, someday i will need help from the government, unless i marry someone with very good health insurance. and it scares the heck out of me that by the time i need it, it probly wont be there anymore.

however, my local sports team will have a stadium that can probly be so advanced that it can play the game FOR them!

 

[mechurchlady]

this week was fu, snide remark and cussing to be inserted. I call the pharmacy who faxes the doctor because the 90 prescription is expired. If the doctor receives the fax then and only the will the prescriptions go through. I have to call the doctor and beg them to take care of her meds and yes I did ask the doctor for updated prescriptions the last time we were seeing him.

If there was a major disastor then my mother probably would not get her meds. During the riots my parents got the social security because it was auto deposit but the many seniors could not get into banks and thus could not pay rent. Katrina saw people die because nobody cared about the patients of a nursing home and people were getting sick because of lack of drugs. A friend had to flee from Hurricane Rita and the disabled often could not flee. For her it was a one vehicle in an accident, work truck died and not being able to get gas, food, water or even out of the area because of traffic. I read here about disabled people and know that they would never have made that trek out of Galvastan area.

I would say I was born with quirks, probably ADD for example, but my life is ruined by people like at Disneyland who said I was too fat or jobs going to pretty women. Quirks from a society that at times was so against the abnormal people like me. The past year has been the first time I felt a bit normal.

As for eugenics, that is a subject matter not for kids under age 21. Rough stuff.

 

[LauraVV]

Ever since we realized that my youngest DD was disabled, I've always been horrified to think that if we had lived in Nazi Germany, she would have been one of the first to be sent to the gas chambers - a drain on society.

The saddest thing in this whole sad situation in the US is that there are people WHO ARE NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT that they would agree with what the Nazis did to people with disabilities.

There is some discussion in preemie circles about the great amount of money spent to save the smallest and youngest ones, especially considering the usual poor outcomes. I've heard arguments about how the $1 million spent on the NICU course of one child could be spent to pay for mosquito netting for thousands of third world children.

I am so glad that we live in a representative republic and not a democracy. I'm so glad that we have the rule of law, where we do have respect for the individual and not just the masses. All our our lives are precious.

And, no, I don't feel even one drop of guilt about the more than $1 million spent on my daughter's birth. Her life is precious.