In the State of Delaware, one does not qualify for Medicaid if one makes more than $8.00 an hour. That means that anyone making $15,360.00 per year, gross income (not net) gets nothing from the state to help with any medical care.
It is 2009. Perhaps in 1989, this would have been an acceptable amount. The cost of gas, utilities, and groceries have skyrocketed, while the Medicaid guidelines stayed firmly rooted in a decade long past.
I suggest that we get a few senators and congressmen to volunteer to live on $8.10 an hour for one year. They can either take this as their salary, or they can get a job in retail, or fast-food. During this year, all of their assets will be frozen. In other words, they cannot dip into savings, CD’s, IRA’s, trust funds, or any other money that may be put away for security. They must give up their current vehicle, and take instead, a 15 year old car. They are not allowed access to any of their credit cards. They may, however, have a debit card from their new checking account which now has $150.00, and should feel free to apply for a new credit card with their new salary. Also, any previous checking accounts cannot be accessed.
This is the base from which they will conduct their lives for one year. During this year they are not allowed to live in their present homes. They must, somehow, find a place to live, get insurance and repairs for the car, money for food and utilities. (They will get whatever food stamp money they would have received had they been single, if they are married.) Since they will not qualify for Medicaid, they will pay upfront and in full, if they get any require medical services of any kind.
They can similarly try to get any dental work done during this time. Since no dentist will send a bill, and insists upon full payment at the time of service, this should be enlightening to those who have never had to think twice about it. Which brings me to a point about Medicaid that has puzzled me for years: why isn’t dental care offered as part of the deal? If you have ever had a filling fall out, or have had an abscessed tooth, you know the pain involved. It can be excruciating; it can bring you to tears. And any health professional will tell you that it is a dangerous situation when a filling falls out and stays out, or when a decayed tooth gets no attention as bacteria is going into your bloodstream. It can affect your heart. It requires attention.
Should the need arise, they can visit their local drugstore or Wal-Mart to pick out glasses, since Medicaid does not offer vision care. And why doesn’t it? If you have ever witnessed a friend or relative trying to make-do with over-the counter reading glasses when what was needed was an actual prescription for near-sightedness or far-sightedness, you will know how ludicrous this suggestion is. The senator or congressman will finally get to see (no pun intended) first-hand how difficult it is to read a book, a street sign, to drive. They will probably have a headache every day from the eye-strain. That shouldn’t be so bad: generic aspirin doesn’t cost that much. Hope you’re not allergic to aspirin.
This is what I propose for our law-makers, our senators, our congressmen: live for a year in my shoes. Live for a year in the shoes of the people who do not qualify for Medicaid because they are one penny over the guidelines. If indeed you can afford to buy a new pair of shoes on your new salary, then come back and tell me what the new guidelines are for Medicaid. Then tell me that it includes dental and vision care.
No comments:
Post a Comment