Medicaid

[shannon]

For the past week I had been wondering why I was getting a bunch of Medicaid declines due to "age restriction"...whelp...got my answer! Alabama Medicaid made some serious cutbacks and cut all eyewear material benefits out for adults and changed their exams from every 2 years to every 3 years. Children's benefits didn't change....yet. Anyone else seeing similiar things happening where they are?

[Wes]

SC also cut their program for adults. They haven't eliminated the children's program yet.

[EyeManFla]

North Carolina is also children only...and you can no use poly for their lenses...CR39 only.........

[shannon]

Yeah, we aren't supposed to be using poly...well, at the very least, they won't pay for it, but we still do.

[chip anderson]

Anyone besides mean old me ever had the urge to...
Patient asks: "How come medicaid won't pay for this after age 18?
Tempting answer: "After that point it is assumed you can get off your lazy behind, get a job and take care of yourself!"

Chip

[Wes]

This is one of those times I agree with mean ol Chip. I've worked full time for the last 19 years (12 of which were military service), held down a part time job 14 of those 19, and managed to earn three degrees while doing it. I have very close to zero patience for those who won't help themselves.

[shannon]

Agreed. Here you are still covered until you turn 21...it's ridiculous. There are some people who really do need it for short term (some long term), but they are by no means the majority of the people who receive it and stay on it, it's sad.

[Judy Canty]

From 1972 through 1976, I was a single parent. I had 2 years of college as a Music Education major and I could type a little. My ex-husband did not pay any of the court-ordered child support. I found a job at an optical wholesale lab, then at an independent opticians office and finally at an optometric office. My take-home pay (after taxes) was just shy of $70 per week. My rent was $112 per month. Social services paid for my daughter's day care so that I could work. Medicaid paid for our health care because it was not available through any of my employers. Legally, I could not own a car, but my social worker turned a blind eye to the very used 1963 TR4 that sat in front of the apartment. I lived nearly 20 miles from the lab where I worked, so gas was a huge expense. Some of you may remember the gas rationing of the early '70's. I played in a small "pops" orchestra for extra money, about $30 per performance. While I qualified for food stamps, getting them required taking a day off from work to sit in an office and for them to be issued.

Why do I write this? Because stereotyping is wrong.

[chip anderson]

Stereotyping may be but 50 years of seeing several of these deadbeats a day, seeing them get thier children publicly supported through a dozen programs, wear clothes that I could not afford, a half pound of jewelry, God knows how much expense in tattoo's and piercings, drive expensive cars, sit home get 100 pounds overweight from cranking our a illigitimate child a year, not showing up for untold hours of "free services" kind of gives you a bad feeling bout the whole thing.
And it sure isn't society's fault that you made poor choices in men. Hell you had two years of college which is more than a lot of working folks get to start with. We all have a hard time and make poor choices, just some of us manage and some stick that hand out and whine.

Chip

[Wes]

Again, I have to agree with Chip. I made my mistakes. No one bailed me out. I worked my way out of my mistakes by putting in 80+ hours a week for many years. Stereotypes are what they are because they're often correct (but not ALWAYS.) I always make an effort to distinguish between those with genuine need, and those who abuse the system. The latter outnumber the former by at least 5 to 1.

[Jubilee]

So Chip, how was she supposed to pay for day care then? Should she have quit her job to be able to stay at home with them till she found something that paid enough to cover?

We all have made some poor choices in our life times. Usually those are the times we learn the most. She never said it was society's fault that her ex was a deadbeat. However she had to manage somehow, and she did it by swallowing her pride to get help with her expenses, and then working her butt off to show she appreciated and eventually got off the program.

While there are folks who do abuse the system and make it a lifestyle, there are many more who use it in the same ways as Curious Cat to use it as a leg up to provide a better life for both herself and her children.

[Wes]

Jubilee, many here use pseudonyms to keep their identity on the dl. Please edit out names to protect those who need anonymity. I know the curiouscat and believe she used the system properly. Most DO NOT.

[SharonB]

From 1972 through 1976, I was a single parent. I had 2 years of college as a Music Education major and I could type a little. My ex-husband did not pay any of the court-ordered child support. I found a job at an optical wholesale lab, then at an independent opticians office and finally at an optometric office. My take-home pay (after taxes) was just shy of $70 per week. My rent was $112 per month. Social services paid for my daughter's day care so that I could work. Medicaid paid for our health care because it was not available through any of my employers. Legally, I could not own a car, but my social worker turned a blind eye to the very used 1963 TR4 that sat in front of the apartment. I lived nearly 20 miles from the lab where I worked, so gas was a huge expense. Some of you may remember the gas rationing of the early '70's. I played in a small "pops" orchestra for extra money, about $30 per performance. While I qualified for food stamps, getting them required taking a day off from work to sit in an office and for them to be issued.

Why do I write this? Because stereotyping is wrong.

Amen +1
My daughter is a single parent of two little girls. She gets nothing from the "dad." She works hard as a CNA, but the living wage in NY is outrageous. Child care is also an issue, and costly. She has medicaid and food stamps. She is not a "porch monkey" but an underpaid employee. She is very grateful for the help she gets, and will start nursing school part time in the Fall (federally funded BTW). I know she wants to get off the system, and frankly, I don't mind my tax dollars being used for the opportunity for betterment. Don't put all medicaid recipients in the same
category. It was designed as a safety net, and as with all nets, there is some "collateral catch".

[Judy Canty]

[QUOTE=chip anderson;428054And it sure isn't society's fault that you made poor choices in men.[/QUOTE]

Well, 9 times out of 10, the only son of a very well-to-do Los Angeles physician would have been considered a pretty good choice. However, my husband of the past 32 years turned out to be a very good one, even if it's probably one that you would find reprehensible.

The problem with stereotyping is that it allows you to see only what you want or expect to see.

[chip anderson]

Sure it's individualized, but I can think of the rapper who is still waiting for his break, the comic book writer who has been three years writing the first one. Can't tell you how many times I've been told how "De Laud just keeps sending me these babies." "You don't think I can get a job with just one eye." "Why you won't sign the paper for me to get him (a one eyed infant in diapers, and my recommendation means nothing legally) on disability."
I do see the need for people that have an accident (not getting knocked up) and have humoungus medical bills, People that need medical care for things that cost more than they can ever afford. But just people that have made stupid mistakes, Medicaid and Medicare were passed to buy votes, no one ever asked those that would actually have to work the extra hours every week if they felt compasionate enough to give thier time and resources for this. If they actually felt this way these things would be paid for by voluntary charitable donations, not manditory taxes.

Chip

[shannon]

This thread is taking a real bad turn, I was curious if other states were seeing the same thing happening in their neck of the woods....not for it to become a reason to be ugly towards each other. May I suggest that it be closed?