Posted on 03/07/2018 11:30:49 AM PST by SeekAndFind
At least 21,000 needy people have died while waiting for Medicaid coverage, while 13 million able-bodied adults received Medicaid coverage in states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, an explosive new study revealed Tuesday. At least 247,295 people are currently on waiting lists to enroll in Medicaid.
The study, published by the Foundation for Government Accountability, revealed that when Obamacare enabled states to vastly expand Medicaid, it resulted in mismanagement, depriving the most needy and rewarding the able-bodied.
"This really is a tragedy. Medicaid was designed as a safety net for the truly needy. But it's become bloated and lost its focus," Nic Horton, research director at the foundation, told PJ Media. He argued that the "ObamaCare expansion is perhaps the best example of this: nearly 13 million able-bodied adults have been added to welfare while truly needy individuals on waiting lists die before ever getting the services they needed."
"I hope this is a wake-up call for policymakers everywhere to examine their Medicaid programs and make sure resources are being preserved for those who are truly vulnerable," Horton declared.
Since Obamacare's Medicaid expansion came into effect in 2014, 21,904 people have died while on the waiting list, and that number only includes 12 of the 32 states that expanded Medicaid. During that time, Medicaid spending on able-bodied adults more than doubled.
According to the report, only 10.7 million disabled people are on Medicaid, while the program covers 29.2 million able-bodied adults.
The foundation's report told the tragic story of Skylar Overman, a 12-year-old girl in Little Rock, Arkansas. "Born with a rare neurological condition called Schizencephaly that requires around-the-clock care, 12-year-old Skylar spent more than 10 years on the state’s Medicaid waiting list. While Skylar waited, the state enrolled more than 300,000 able-bodied
(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...
Well gee, I hope they were at least given a pill to keep them comfortable... :P
Totally true. I knew several average middle class style people who found a way to qualify for that crap. People who could afford a reasonable deductible who were paying nothing for their own health care. And who popped in with every sore throat.
We have a health share, we front the money when we go in. So we go to the doctor only when necessary, we pick and choose which prescribed tests and labs the doc orders according to how important the results will be for any treatment, how ridiculous the cost of that blood test, etc. we shop around for MRIs or other scans. People who get all that for free abuse the whole system.
And I gladly pay taxes to help with the truly disabled. People who can’t care for themselves need us all and we are here for them.
“If he does it, then so can I!”
You know what? I don’t give a crap anymore as I pay $600 a month for mine with no help from the F N government! You get the coverage you deserve! And those 21,000 could have gone to the ER!
Are you suggesting that any truly needy person with a chronic medical condition should only get treatment in the ER? Do you have any idea how much that would push up the cost of medical care for everyone?
p
This report is Racisssssssssssssssss
No I’m suggesting those 21,000 people didn’t have to die if they went for treatment at the ER. THey can’t be turned away. “One of the things that the previous administration said was that they were going to be able to drive folks away from one of the most expensive areas for the provision of health care, and that is the emergency rooms,” Price said at a White House briefing on March 7, 2017. “In fact, they did just the opposite.”
This is Obama care, no one knows how much has been changed until you need it. My hubby has Alzheimer’s and I care for him. Now I am sick 62 years old can’t get Medicare. I have been sent home from two hospitals with a handful of pain meds. So I guess I live on pain pills till I die....or have 5000.00 dollars for the doctor and I didn’t even ask the hospital how much they want. BUT if I was illegal I would be healing now...
I have been sent home from two hospitals. They find something minor treat me for that by law and send me home...I was working now I can’t. I have a cyst they say my be cancer but won’t run test became they will have to fix it then....
I’m so sorry. I wish I could help you, maybe try a different hospital or go to your local DHHS office and see what they can do for you.
I had a specialists call this morning and will be happy to take our my football size cysts out just bring 5000.00. A really nice lady who has helped me with my hubby. Knew of a free clinic and they can do and a range whatever I need we will see.
In the one example given the girl needed round the clock medical care. That is not provided by an ER. Heavy usage of an ER drives up costs. You and I know the medical expense does not go down because somebody (insurance or government) puts an arbitrary price on what the medical service should cost and pays based on that decision. Actually they pay a percentage of that determined cost. The real expense of medical care still needs to be met.
By law it is true that people must be seen in the ER for a medical emergency. But the extent of the treatment there is limited. Basically a patient is stabilized and diagnostic tests are run to see what treatment is warranted. That treatment may or may not be performed in the ER.
Medicaid stinks. But for some it is the best they can do. Often I think they would be better off doing self pay if they could find doctors to except that arrangement. It could be that these people would have died from their illnesses even if they’d been added to the Medicaid system. The overall outcome for Medicaid patients is not stellar compared to private insurance and even self pay.
If you live near a medical facility associated with a university they usually have some kind of mandate to provide a certain amount of care for indigent patients. Usually the billed amount will be based on your income. Contact the social service department of the local hospital (university or other) and ask about financial help available. Also if you pay cash because you lack insurance most providers offer a rather substantial discount.
Another option is if you have been told cancer is to see if the American Cancer Society will refer you to a doctor who will treat you for little or no charge.
Thank you, will be at it again tomorrow, will try this also.
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