Stephen McGee for The New York Times
Carol Y. Vliet began chemotherapy to treat her cancer, but lost her doctor because he stopped seeing Medicaid patients.
Medicaid is a cure for some social ills, but, in the reign of the Bush/Cheney Administration and Republican Obstructionists it has become a lifeline for CITIZENS.
The fact of the matter is that the USA and its social infrastructure has been completely demoralized during thirty years of Republican domination. No one consents to 'The Welfare Mom.' I believe a parent that finds themselves up against huge odds has to have a safety net and that is what welfare and Medicaid is designed to be.
I defy anyone to state differently. From housing to jobs the Republicans have devastated a once vibrant economy and people like Roger Smith simply are idiots that cannot improve their products so much as 'runs away' from the challenge of real leadership to deliver profits to stockholders. Roger Smith was incompetent and a coward and no one can deny that. I could go on and on about the CEOs of the corporations in the USA and how they ILLEGITIMATELY earn bonuses based on BOGUS shifts in corporate infrastructure that enhance the bottom line, but, demise the company in the long wrong. A methodology of the 'Loser CEOs' that are in it for the greed and not the need of the consumers and workers of the USA. It is completely laughable that the Bush/Cheney Administration bailed out the biggest losers in the USA. I guess it takes one to know one.
But, back to Medicaid.
The Obama Administration has a 'basket case' of a nation to rebuild. This is only one place where the infrastructure, be it medical care infrastructure or medical insurance infrastructure, has been completely demoralized to its purpose and profits. Let's just say I don't believe the 'human condition' is profitable.
But, the fact that people in the USA have lost everything while the investment banks have lost nothing is to realize how completely alone the people of this nation are to 'cope' with life and death.
The Democrats have once before attempted to 'rescue' the people of this nation from the incompetent profiteers on Wall Street. That was during the Clinton Administration. The electorate actually 'bought' the Republicans "Contract with America" nonsense and returned dysfunction and exploitation back to power to do it all over again.
Well.
Hello?
The difference this time is that the USA is completely up against the wall with deficits reaching hideous levels and budgets accumulated from past Republican faux economies and war. So, am I surprised that the people turning to Medicaid out of pure desperation are under-served? Heck, no. Why not abandon Americans at their greatest time of difficulty? The picture speaks eons to the devastation of pass administrations. This didn't happen overnight.
The current Health Care Reform Bill that the House will pass and the Senate will reconcile, if that is the venue to alternatives in favor this morning; will increase payments to providers under both Medicaid and Medicare. THAT is the fact and I read it for myself.
Also, the Health Care Reform Bill has a huge provision to increase the numbers in Medical and Nursing Schools, from MDs to Nurse Practioners to Nursing Assistants. As the numbers of providers increase the Medicare and Medicaid patients will become more desirable. As the payments from health care insurance becomes more stable and consistent across the board these patients will regain their status among those that seek treatment.
So, don't tell me this Administration hasn't looked at the entire picture because they have. They have comprehensively looked into the needs of the people of the USA and they formulated a solution. It will work.
As to the Republican PROPAGANDA regarding Medicare? They are flat out liars. That goes for the Murdoch tribe on every count as well. They speak in 'half truths' that can conveniently be called 'verifiable lies.'
Their statements that Medicare will be cut by $500,000,000 is absolutely correct, BUT, it does not effect the quality or availability of services to Medicare recipients. It is an EMPTY complaint and one that is counter-productive to Bi-partisanship.
Medicare Advantage will be eliminated from the opportunity to have health care insurance. It is a corruptible practice and it has been proven to be such. If the nation wants THE BEST for its oldest Americans it will eliminate this from any possibility for health care insurance and I'll be more than happy to say why.
A health insurance policy is only as good as the company that carries it. If any company offering Medicare Advantage goes broke, belly up or bankrupt (whatever is your favorite word) the recipients of care will be out of luck in regard to their indebtedness to their providers. That cannot happen when a sovereign authority issues the health care insurance policy. If it ever does, as with the Bush/Cheney Administration when it came darn close, then the indebtedness won't matter and the entire nation will be in the same boat. And it won't be a life boat, but, a sinking ship.
The reason Medicaid and Medicare patients are having a difficult time finding providers is because the COSTS and REIMBURSEMENT systems are out of control. That is just the plain truth and the only thing that will bring them back into balance is federal legislation. The imbalance is due to the uninsured and under-insured as well as high copays and premiums that don't deliver the care people need. The first cause of bankruptcy in the USA, the first cause of home foreclosures is due to MEDICAL expenses.
It is a completely hideous picture the USA people have come to accept. They accept it because of 'temporal' effects of generational knowledge. If one doesn't understand differently, they won't demand anything different. The American people have become complacent to their own lives and are scared to have anything change even though they know it needs to. The people of the USA have experienced incompetence in business and government for over thirty years and they believe that it has performed the best it can.
"W"rong !!!!!!
We need health care reform and we need it now !
