Why Threats to Medicare/Medicaid for Younger People Fail: Grandma is Taking Care of the Kids

[sasha031]

The Paul Ryan Budget defenders have today's talking point that Democrats are "scaring seniors" about Medicare and Medicaid changes, and that seniors don't have to think about opposing the Ryan plan because only those under 55 are affected.

Oh really?

The Pew Research Center reported last fall that these days, one in ten children live with a grandparent. This number is up considerably since the start of the recession. At least 50% of grandparents have been a caregiver to a grandchild in the past year.

For the most part, grandparent caregivers have very limited financial resources. Nearly one-in-five (18%) are living below the poverty line, while 47% have household incomes that fall between one- and three-times the poverty line. In comparison, among the population ages 50 and older, 8% are below the poverty line, and 32% are living on an income that is between one- and three-times the poverty rate.

It's very difficult to find national numbers for Medicaid, but this pdf report shows 30.3% of children nationwide were covered by Medicaid/CHIP, and 10.2 percent of children were uninsured. Grandparents raising grandchildren DEPEND on health care programs for younger people, to insure their families.

Pitting one generation against another, in an effort to gut Medicare and Medicaid, is guaranteed to fail. Contrary to what Randite Republicans preach, we live in a society that is inter-dependent, one generation on the other. Grandmas across the country have plenty reason to tell the Republican Party, "don't pull the plug on my grandchildren."
http://crooksandliars.com/bluegal-aka-fran/why-threats-medicaremedicaid-youn

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[Bluerthanblue]

2. K&R

:hi:

[flamingdem]

3. The Ryan plan uses generation "war" as a tactic

Nice try to divide and conquer.

[txwhitedove]

4. +1M REC This is me, raising 3 grandchildren, and had to apply for every

program possible: Daycare assistance through Texas Workforce, Medicaid, Free/Low Cost Meals at school. It took over 6-months to get some programs in place, and you have to keep applying/proving yourself worthy. I am so thankful for a great job with a wonderful boss who understands and has supported me through over 2-years of struggles with sick little kids, State bureacracy, court appointments, and a nutty absent parent (the kids' mom is my own lost daughter).

[nashville_brook]

5. this is my story to a "T" --

I was raised by my grandmother (lost daughter situation). She adopted me when I was 6, so to me she was my Mother. There was a special-needs half brother as well.

Her fullt-time job was working to keep us in 'the system.' Free lunch, medicaid, any school enrichment program she could find...etc. As a child I hardly ever went to the doctor -- minor broken bones were "treated" with ace bandages and TLC, and that's about it. It wasn't until I went to live with my Aunt in high school that I realized I had allergies and could take something for them.

They actually fell into a donut hole with SS around the time they were adopting me. No income at all. We did something called "commodity foods" which was the 70s version of foodbanks run by the agriculture dept. Then my grandfather had a heart attack, and there was a whole mess trying to get him into the VA system -- he'd spent 2 years in the military back in the 1920s, and had never taken VA care, so it was a major hurdle. The bills piled up.

Thru it all she kept up with the bureaucracy -- the constant applying/monitoring/reapplying for benefits. She had not worked for many years (had been a legal secretary), but somehow managed to borrow some money to get some rental property, and that became her job. She was Superwoman, in every way, as I'm sure you are too.

[txwhitedove]

6. Oh sweetie, I'm no Superwoman..., can't wear the outfit anymore!

I just love my grandbabies and could do no less. Someone has to be strong for these kids. I too was raised by a grandparent, so we both know that 'families' are defnitely not always the traditional mom and pop. Family are the people who love and nurture you daily, no matter what happens.

DU is my Family. Thanks.

:grouphug:

[nashville_brook]

7. all very true!!

:hug:

[L0oniX]

8. K & R ..indeed ... I see a lot of grandmother day care ...and 24 hour care too.