Medicaid To End For Thousands Of Low-Income Missourians

[Duncan Grant]

New Budget Goes Into Effect July 1
<snip>
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Philip Lindsey knew a letter saying he was no longer eligible for Medicaid was coming, but it still didn't make it any easier.

Philip Lindsey, "Ah, I think (I) basically panicked at first," Lindsey said. Lindsey has suffered six heart attacks, he has spinal arthritis and he is the sole provider for his 18-year-old son, who has a form of autism.

KMBC's Kris Ketz reported that 65,000 letters have recently gone out, informing low-income parents that their current incomes will soon be too much to qualify for Medicaid.

Currently, Missouri families of three with monthly incomes of $1,005 or less, minus child care, can qualify for Medicaid. On July 1, when the state's new budget takes effect, those same families can make no more than $292 a month to qualify for similar coverage.
<snip>

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/politics/4559121/detail.html

edit: comment

[atreides1]

1. Back to the Middle Ages

Missouri is the first state to officially adopt the "Back to Serfdom"
program, and will soon be followed by other Red States.

This program is exclusively reserved for the poor and disabled, and possibly some of the elderly. It's good to see how those good "Fristian" folk take care of those less fortunate then themselves, Jesus would be proud.

There is a special place reserved in Hell for the politicians that wanted this, and for those "good" people of Missouri who didn't speak against this.

[OKthatsIT]

5. Tell Bush, the hopeless and helpless have nothing to lose

he better watch his back!

[WeRQ4U]

2. Yeah, that'll fix things...

[scarletlib]

3. An earlier article (some weeks back) on this subject

Sad to say many of those being cut off medicaid actually voted for the repuglican governor who is pushing this through. Of course none of these issues were the focal point of those who voted repug: you can guess, it was guns, gay marriage and abortion.

So sad many many people will suffer and many will die.

Was that vote worth it? Will these people realize how used they were?

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. "moral issues" No surprise that their won't be any laws

regarding abortion, or gays for them, but there will be plenty of sour changes to the social safety net programs that some of them will NEED to rely on at one time or another.

[yorkiemommie1]

42. no and... no

sadly.

[AlCzervik]

6. the result of Bush tax cuts, no money left to fund anything

anymore so now it goes on the states.

[scratchtasia]

7. Missouri forum

I'd also posted this in the Missouri forum this morning. We've been fighting these cuts to little avail.

[sarcasmo]

8. Monthly medication will cost more than what he makes.

Don't think for a minute big PHARM didn't have a hand in this reduction.
If these folks voted for Bush I have no sympathy for them.

[cornermouse]

10. There are a lot of people in Missouri who did not vote for them

and who are getting whacked. Do you think you can stir a little sympathy up for them?

[xchrom]

9. maybe the conservative christians can pay

for their medical bills.

after all, they're safe from gay marriage -- it's the least they could do.

[wildcat78]

29. F@#% Bush and the GOP!

I live in Ohio and GOP just slammed a new budget like this down our throats. They reduced all income to the local schools in the name of a smaller budget. Noe, after passing a 6% levy last year, our school is coming to us again for another levy because of fuckin' Taft and the GOP!

As far as I'm concerned, they can kiss my ass!

[Terran]

41. Actually, they will be doing just that

which is what is so f*cking stupid about this. A lot of these people will now be visiting emergency rooms to get basic medical treatment, and the cost of that eventually just gets passed along to consumers in the form of higher insurance premiums. But as long as it's not a new "tax", they're fine with that.

Missouri Republicans love to talk about investing in this state's future, but they are doing exactly the opposite of that.

[HeeBGBz]

11. Fuck you, Baby Blunt

You Bush wannabe suckup.

[dsc]

12. We need to make this a moral issue

I admit to not being a biblical scholar but I have read the Bible (which is apparently more than Santorum did) and I recall many, many verses about taking care of the widows, the poor, and the infirm. We should be running ads in MO with the pictures of these people being cut off and the shortest Bible Verse (Jesus wept).

[Shallah Kali]

13. Exactly! There is more to the bible than Leviticus!

While the RW got people phobic thinking pagan prochoice homosexuals were going to teach their kids to use condoms and wear thongs while listening to britney spears they were really getting shafted by the GOP.

[ninkasi]

23. I agree, dsc

We have been told that people vote repuke because of "morals" or "values". We can contrast what Christ commanded with what the Republican run country is doing.

For some people who were just hanging on by a thread, and have been depending on various social safety nets, they are going to be in for a hard landing without that net. I have no doubt that many of them did vote for Repukes, fearing gay marriage, abortion, and having their guns taken away.

Their suffering will be real, though, and will also affect people who voted the Democratic ticket, and children who can't vote. There is just so much wrong with this country, with money being spent to kill others instead of taking care of the worst off of our own.

I am still almost unable to believe that we have fallen so far, so fast, as a country. When I think about the damage Bush and his fellow thugs have done, I get sick. My only hope is that in 2006, enough people will have woken up, and realized how bad things are, and at least vote for Democrats, and take back the Senate, and state offices

We have earned the contempt and scorn of the rest of the world.

[scarletlib]

38. Your post sums up my feelings exactly.

[Lori Price CLG]

14. Why don't they use the 900+ million 'missing' in Iraq to pay for it? n/t

[VegasWolf]

15. So what! Gay's can't be married and the 11 Commandments can be displayed!!

[Lindacooks]

16. Who'd you vote for, Missouri?

If you voted Repuke, well, this is the 'less government' that you voted for. Tough shit.

[cornermouse]

17. So... How many people voted for a republican in your state?

Point being that not everyone in the state voted repub.

[Lindacooks]

35. Yeah? So?

The majority of people in that state got what they wanted. Less government, which under chimp's reign, translates to less help.

And why are Southerners so damned sensitive about being reminded that most of you do, in fact, vote Repuke? I have a Repuke governor in my blue state and it makes me furious every single day. But I don't take offense when someone says my state deserves him - because they do. It's going to take a lot more pain felt by a lot more people to change things in this country.

[cornermouse]

37. With "friends" like you,

one doesn't need to look for enemies.

[Terran]

43. Excuse me? "Southerners"??

Missouri is not the South, thank you very much.

[stlsaxman]

19. Uh... I voted a straight ticket- Democrat.

From what I recall a little under half of Missouri voted simularly...

"Tough shit.", huh? Thanks for your compassion.

[Lindacooks]

36. I don't have any compassion for red states.

So sue me.

[raccoon]

40. But not all people in red states voted red. nt

[Terran]

44. And you live in what state?

And how many many people voted repug in your state? Likely just a few pencentage points less than here. It doesn't take much to turn most states one way or the other. And for your fucking information, Missouri's state government was majority Democratic in every branch just a few years ago.

[TheDebbieDee]

22. The outgoing repuke Sec of State of Missouri was elected as the

new Governor of Missouri.

I'm skeptical of all the vote tallies of states with repuke Secs of State.

But, Missouri probaly went red. Just call us West Mississippi - no offense to the real Mississippi!

[Neecy]

18. before you guys send the hounds of hell after MO...

Remember that the large urban areas in Missouri are overwhelmingly Democratic, and this obscenity will primarily hurt the urban poor, not the Bush voters. So, let's show a little bit of decency before condemning the whole state, okay? We're not all hillbillies.

[Hobarticus]

20. Here, here!

Same story all around the country: red rural, blue metro. Red rural folks get hurt first.

[deadparrot]

25. Thanks muchly.

:)

[hoffmanmotors]

21. Way to go Kenny

Fortunately, Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-Mo. 9th) championed the estate-tax repeal in Congress…so that at least the rich people don’t have anything to worry about.

[graphixtech]

24. 'Test Case for National Policy Changes'

There was an excellent article in the KC Star about a week ago, which presented the alternative facts and opinions about this issue.

It specifically mentioned that Missouri's Medicaid slashing is a test case to see how citizens handle it as a precursor preview of enactment of these type of cuts nationwide. The only other state making similar draconian cuts is Tennessee. The article also said that the Missouri Republicans were following President Bush's guidelines for an "Ownership Society."

Fyi, there was a massive effort of thousands of Missourians who lobbied against these cuts! These politicians are obviously heartless and represent other interests besides the good people of Missouri.

[Straight Shooter]

26. A family of 3 can make no more than $292 a month to qualify?

That's insane! It's criminal, it really is. I can't believe it. Is this how low America has stooped under the bush regime, that we're letting people die for lack of health care when they can't even make enough money to feed themselves and put a roof over their head?

OMFG. We have a brand-new shock and awe, and it's aimed directly at the most defenseless of Americans: the young, the elderly, and the poor.

[Duncan Grant]

27. Compassionate conservatism = $3.24 cents per person, per day!

I've bookmarked this article and can't wait to use it the next time I hear some nonsense about compassionate conservatism (my ass!). You're right, Straight Shooter - it is criminal. :grr:

Even Jesus couldn't perform the miracle of the loaves and fishes on $3.24 per day!

[Zorra]

28. It's the republican population control method. They kill off the poor

in America by denying them medical care while using the Medicare money they save to pay for bombs to kill Iraqis.

Compassionate conservatism. The system works!

[barb162]

30. hey, the second the poor "drain " the system, out they go!

[Fovea]

31. I just want to ask Blunt one question.

Is the state motto some kind of joke to you?

[Eloriel]

32. $292 a month?

Not possible. Unless you owned your property outright, you'd be a HOMELESS family if that's all your income was. Transportationless, too.

[Doremus]

33. 65,000 souls -- let's hope there are LOTS of park benches in MO

... the nouveau-homeless will need somewhere to lay their heads when they're sick.

It's hard to fathom a society so self-absorbed, selfish, blind and/or evil-spirited that they can allow the weakest among us to be kicked to the curb like so much trash.

Maybe Unicef or one of the other international aid organizations can start a new fund -- for the 'untouchables' right here in the 'good ol' USA.'

My sincere condolences to those affected by this heartless move. :(

There but for the grace of God go I ...

[hatrack]

34. Gov. Skippy shoehorned another column into the Star on Sunday

All about just how glowingly, wonderfully, shimmeringly pro-life he was.

"Abortion, stem cells, fetuses. Embryos, zygotes, abortion. Blastocysts, abortion, children. Abortion, life, stem cells, Republicans."

Not surprisingly, he didn't spend much time discussing the $292 monthly limit, or just how disabled and destitute people were supposed to get the medical care they'll need. Nor did he spend much time on the inevitable destination of all the people he and his Kompassionate Konservative Khristians just cut off of Medicaid - i.e. the emergency room. Yes, that'll save the state lots and lots of money, won't it, Gov. Skippy?

The ultimate selfish yuppie turd, playing on Daddy's name and connections to "win" an office he's not ready for. Sound familiar?

[Terran]

45. Yep. Missouri is such a microcosm of the US right now...

it would be funny if it weren't so horrible.

[catmandu57]

39. The devil has us by the throat here

There were many people who voted democratic in the last election, When I went to bed dejected and depressed last November, our candidate for Governor was way ahead, and I thought that at least we'll still have the state.
Then I wake up the next morning to find out that babyface is now governor, and all hope left me. We're in for some rough days ahead, that's for sure, we, the disabled, the ill, the poor have been told that we're not welcome here anymore.
We can stay, but, if we do then we're on our own.

If somehow we survive the next four years, both in this state, and in the world, it's going to be a very cold day in hell when any reptiles again grab power.

We, unfortunately can't do like California and recall our disaster, if we can regain the state in 06, then we have to change the state constitution to do so, that is our only legal hope.

Other than that there is only the desparate measures taken by desparate people, pissed off to the max and with nothing left to lose.

[Marthe48]

46. OHIO Medicaid-prescription coverage ending 12/31/05

My mom is 84, almost disabled from osteoporosis and arthitis and she just got a letter yesterday that as of 12/31/2005 Ohio Medicaid will no longer pay for her prescriptions, that Medicare will 'help' her pay for her prescriptions after that but she will have to pay a small copayment. At this time, she hasn't had to pay copayments. She's on about 10 medicines to keep her physical condition stable. I wish the unfeeling bastards who make these kinds of decisions had to live with someone who is suffering and then try to destroy what little peace of mind they have. They'd probably like signing the papers even more than they do right now.