Posted on 10/07/2004 2:00:46 AM PDT by j. earl carter
Posted on Tue, Oct. 05, 2004
Energy Prices Sting Low-Income Amercans
BRAD FOSS
Associated Press
For many Americans, the rising cost of energy is a financial nuisance, not a crisis. It's something to grumble about to a co-worker or perhaps a reason to spend less on clothing and entertainment.
But for Louise Rayo of Littleton, Colo., who takes care of her four children, ages 8 through 13, on disability pay of less than $1,200 a month, high oil and natural gas prices have already had serious consequences.
Rayo, 37, was recently forced to decide between medical insurance for her family or gas and electric service for their home. She chose the latter, joining millions of low-income households that have gone without health care, food and other basic necessities this year to keep their homes cool in summer and warm in winter.
America's working poor seem likely to get hit harder than usual on fuel bills this winter, with oil around $50 a barrel, gasoline near $2 a gallon and natural gas prices rising. Moreover, industry officials and emergency assistance groups worry that a federal program critical to ensuring utility service for low- and fixed-income households is inadequately funded.
(Excerpt) Read more at miami.com ...
Rayo, 37, was recently forced to decide between medical insurance for her family
There is no way a woman with four children and income below $1200/month could possibly not qualify for medicaid. I think Jayson Blair may now be writing under the name Brad Foss.
I'm almost certain she would qualify for free health care (or at least free hospital care) under any number of other indigent programs. This article can not possibly be real!
Where is the father?
He's out pimpin' and smokin' da rock pipe.
Word!
Headline: World to End Tomorrow. Women and Minorities hit the Hardest.
Sheesh.
Yes, the woman is pathetic, but my point was that she couldn't possibly have needed to buy health insurance in the first place. I think some or all of the story is fiction.
Of course it is bogus.
If disabled and on disability, she has government-funded health insurance, food stamps, fuel assistance, housing assistance and a cash grant.
The left likes to conflate health insurance w/health care. Everyone gets health care. The poor, disabled, children of such families and the indigent elderly are covered by various state programs that, IIRC, are funded in part by the Federal government.
In some areas, there are health clinics that serve this population and provide good care. In others, they use the ER for such services. Bush's healthcare plan extends the community clinics to take the burden off the ERs.
In my region, the folks on these programs get top of the line care at institutions like Mayo, referred from the community clinics.
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