Mr. Romney/Mr. Ryan: Medicaid as block grant
Mr. Romney/Mr. Ryan:
Let me just state right up front:
I don’t have enough money to pay for a tax cut for you and those in your tax bracket.
If you get your wish about Medicaid…cutting it by 30% over the next ten years and changing it into state block grants…in effect asking me to pay for your tax cut, this is the direct effect it could have on me:
Let’s look at the best case scenario first. At the end of the ten years, I’d arrive at a scenario where
I’d lose 30% of services for the same amount of spenddown (read money-I-presently-have-to-pay-before-Medicaid services start.)
Right at this moment, I would lose my present doctor a rare young fellow who listens to me, and get a new physician who’s job it is to tell me what drugs, and procedures are no longer covered, and therefore no longer really necessary… I’d have to reargue the case for a certain kind of asthma medicine for me, or which anxiety medication is best to help with my depression.
Therapy that among other things, slows the progress of my incurable lymphedema, ‘wakes up’ the lymphatic system to get things moving, physical therapy that does a bit to counter the tightening stiffening muscles that come when you have cerebral palsy and get older, that I’ve been dealing with, the therapy that has been at least partially covered, up to a certain dollar amount, would reduce by 30% (It’s limited now, and I have to give it up entirely ’til January, even before you get your mitts on it.)
In order to pay for your tax cut, I’d have to pay 30% of my medical transport costs…presently the only transport I have available in this county to get to a doctor or specialist. (FYI full cash cost of one round trip to my lymphedema therapist would be approximately 180.00 one way. I was going 2x a week. If you can, you do the math.)
That’s best case.
Middle of the road case: In addition to the above cuts in order to pay for your tax cut, my spenddown would go up…money that I now use for rent, non covered medical expense, food, phone bill, internet access…
Worst case: the 30% cut means cutting *people* not just services, and since I’m relatively new to the program, in order to pay for your tax cut, I could be one of the ones to go.
So
Still lose my doctor…
All medical transportation costs
and 20% of medical expenses covered by my remaining Medicare would become my responsibility. (I’m eligible for Medicare due to disability…many of my fellow Medicaid beneficiaries *only* have Medicaid, so their situation would be even more desperate than mine.)
My earned benefit of disability only goes so far Mr. Romney…
I’ve given up a lot by my estimation:
I love books. I had 400 or so. I still like reading books you can pick up and hold in your hand. I’m now down to 30
I love movies. I used to have about 150. I sold them to pay for groceries. Now I’m down to about 30 of those too.
I had to give up a loved pet because there was no contingency money for her if she fell ill…and not enough to make sure both she and I had the basics. And, for what it’s worth I loved her enough to do what was best for her, not put her on top of a damn car for a roadtrip.
Luxuries like a dinner out or a movie out don’t happen unless someone else is kind enough to pay. (This is as it should be. I am in no way asking anyone to subsidize a trip to the movies for me. Doesn’t mean I don’t miss them. )
In summation, Mr. Romney, and Mr. Ryan too.
Mr. Ryan has been called bold for advancing the plan that would force me and every single present Medicaid beneficiary to pay for your tax cut, Mr Romney…
What’s bold, or brave about forcing benefits away from poor people and people with disabilities and forcing more of their small store of money into your pockets?
Smells like cowardice to me.
Midlife And Treachery 
