House passes Medicaid overhaul requiring enrollment in managed care (Florida)

[Akoto]

LINK: http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/mar/31/no-headline---tc_medicaid/#comments

I'm not going to excerpt the source, but you can read the article if you'd like. Long story short: those of us currently on Medicaid in Florida are going to be forced into the HMO process.

Words can't begin to describe how upset I am over this. I'm crippled with a chronic pain condition at age 26. It took two years of degrading treatment and stress to win my disability case, during which time my parents (whose pockets are anything but full) had to foot the medical bills in addition to every other expense of my life. Getting Medicaid along with my disability was a huge blessing, as not only did it provide fully for my care, I no longer had to feel like so much of a burden to my loved ones. My version, Medipass, even allows me - for now - to travel to the UoMiami to get pain care from the only specialists who understand me.

Now, who knows? I can tell you that I certainly won't be able to pay HMO fees plus personal fees on the $449/mo I receive. Why is it that the most defenseless and weak among us must sacrifice so much, while the wealthy people with plenty to give just sit on their money piles and tax breaks?

It bothered me enough that, for the first time, I wrote the representative mentioned in the article:

Dear Representative Harrell,

I am writing today because, as a disabled person living in Port Saint Lucie, I have serious concerns regarding the ongoing overhaul of Florida Medicaid.

At the age of 26, I am disabled with a chronic pain syndrome. There is no cure, and the condition will persist for the rest of my life (barring a cure). I've long been reliant upon my parents, but after two years of fighting the system, a judge admitted that I was deserving of SSI. Receiving Medicaid has been more of a blessing to me than you can possibly know. Hundreds of dollars worth of medications, previously paid for out of my parents' pockets, are now covered by my Medipass. The same can be said for any testing, as well as my visits to the University of Miami for pain management.

I haven't had to live with the guilt of a burden placed upon my parents, nor have I had to fear an inability to get the treatment I've needed. Now, facing the prospect of having to deal with an HMO, I question whether two years of fighting and stress will all have been for nothing. Living with a chronic condition is complicated, especially when you don't have money.

How are these changes going to impact someone like me? Will I still be able to travel to the University of Miami on Medipass, where the only pain specialists with knowledge of my condition reside? Am I going to have to go back to begging the pharma companies for free meds? This has quickly taken me from the first bit of comfort I've had in years, back to fear.

[aquart]

1. Gee, I wonder which campaign contributors are getting rich on this quid pro quo?

[Akoto]

2. Probably the ones whose families can more than afford medical care. n/t

[pa28]

3. At one time this might have been a bonanza for HMO's

It's still good for them because, from the way I'm reading this, they can cherry pick the profitable cases and send the rest to beg for whatever charity they can find.

Medicaid reimbursements have been pared back on the state level to the point most medical providers don't want them anyway but the really disturbing thing here is consolidation. Some people might be medically needy, totally indigent and find themselves turned aside by the HMO. At that point the only recourse is to seek charity or die quietly if reimbursements for their condition are too low.

[Akoto]

4. Likely, I will end up in that category, which goes to my fear. n/t

[bobbolink]

6. You do realize that that cold assessment isn't making DUers on Medicaid feel particularly

warm towards the party or "progressives", right?

[pa28]

7. I realize exactly how cold it is.

This happens to be my business and I've seen the real effect on real people over the last few years. The cuts since 2006 have been brutal and now the Republicans are talking about 1$T in cuts over ten years which basically means gutting the program.

You've heard the term "death panel" in relation to Medicare which references Eric Cantor's mom and every other middle class grandma in America. They are apparently protected and for them the idea of cutting benefits at a certain level is f*&king national emergency. The poor are in a different and apparently invisible category however. Under the Republican plan they are about to pushed over a cliff. I'm not joking.

My point in posting was to draw some attention to the problem. It's been bad but it's about to get much worse.

[bobbolink]

8. We are sacrificing our lives because the Dems haven't cared for a long time now.

Those of us affected don't need to be reminded what awaits us.

We also know that there won't be any mourning for us.

So, we thank you for the coldness. It is nothing new, is it?

[Hannah Bell]

5. more fascist shit.

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. Someone should keep tabs of Senior deaths.

They will probably go up under managed care.