Medicaid cuts: Providers close doors to poor

During the two year presidential campaign, we heard a lot of speeches, but more we heard a lot of reasons why people were voting for McCain/Palin. "Socialized medicine" was one of the reasons along with "they want to give my money away" but the people who complained the loudest must have never been touched by something like this, faced loosing everything because they got sick or were too poor to be taken care of. The same people would also claim that they are "Christian" and vote on "morals and family values" without thinking of how these two things are against each other.

We know what Christ had to say about taking care of the poor, needy, ill, young, elderly and how we were supposed to treat others the way we want to be treated. Would Christ approve of this? I hardly think so.

When supporters of McCain made statements about the way tax money is spent, how is it that they found nothing wrong with tax money being given to corporations with tax cuts? How is it that they found nothing wrong with getting accountability from the government on how our money is being used? Did they ever consider their money was in fact feeding the rich while ignoring the poor? Millions of families across this country are one paycheck away from being homeless. When people lose their jobs, they lose their healthcare. They worked. They worked hard and tried to do the best they could, then ended up suffering thru no fault of their own. Do the others ever think of what it would be like if it was their job? Their family? No, they take it for granted that they deserve their jobs and their incomes, but others did not. Doesn't matter to them the state of others.

So here's a short story of what happens next. In January I lost my job. I took a part time job working for a Church as the Administrator of Christian Education. I only wanted to work part-time so that I could work with veterans more hours. I had to work (and I still do) but even though I was good at my job, dedicated and loved what I did, I had no control over the budget. My two year joy of a job was gone and the position was eliminated. Working for a Church, they didn't pay into the unemployment system. I didn't even get unemployment checks. My family has been suffering ever since. Now, do I stop helping veterans with PTSD who are suffering more, dump all the hours and go to work at Wal-Mart, that seems to be the only company hiring, so that I can be viewed as "hard working" in their eyes? Isn't 16 hours a day enough? The only difference is I don't get a pay check. I brought home paychecks since I was 14. But that's not the worst.

My brother also got laid off. Less than a week later, he passed away of a massive heart attack at the age of 56. He worked his whole life, went to college to become an engineer and built buildings in New England. He had an expensive house in an executive area and earned every dime of his pay. He died on October 9th and I flew back home to bury him. What did he do wrong? What did he do to be ashamed of? Nothing. He did everything we're supposed to do. So did I but others in this country are under some delusion if you are not working, you did something wrong or you want to suck off the system and "live off their money" instead of working.

Keep all of this in mind as you read the following story. Then open your eyes as well as your heart.

Providers close doors to poor
Medicaid cuts leave no choice, says doctors, hospitals
By Marshall Allen

Sun, Nov 16, 2008
Budget cuts in the state’s Medicaid program are forcing a major shift in where Nevada’s poor can seek health care.

Cancer patients who had received outpatient treatment at University Medical Center, for instance, will have to seek treatment at other hospitals and clinics because UMC, citing reductions in Medicaid payments, says it can no longer afford to offer cancer treatment.

Low-income children with bone and spine problems may need to leave Las Vegas altogether for treatment, because pediatric orthopedists are no longer accepting payment from Medicaid because of cutbacks to their reimbursements.

And on Tuesday, UMC administrators will tell Clark County commissioners what treatments and programs they may need to drop because Medicaid payments don’t cover the hospital’s costs, and the hospital can’t afford to go in the hole.

Indeed, the Nevada State Medical Association said other pediatric specialists may also stop taking Medicaid patients because the government reimbursements don’t cover the cost of delivering the care.

“I really feel we’re heading for a precipice and I think somebody needs to be candid about this,” said Dr. Carl Heard, chief executive of Nevada Health Centers, a nonprofit organization that operates clinics for low-income patients. “I just don’t know that we’ve seen a path to follow or that the leadership is stepping up to fill the void.”
go here for more
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/nov/16/medicaid-cuts-hitting-poor/
Linked from RawStory