[Nfbmo] Talking points for elimination of medicade benefits.

[fred olver]

I personally feel that this is an important enough issue for all possible talking points regardless of where they come from need to be made to the budget committee, that's why I'm re-posting Gene's comments along with those offered by the President of the ACB of Missouri. To bad the NFB and ACB couldn't both blitz the House of Representatives Budget Committee with bodies at the same time, so maybe phone calls will help.

Fred Olver

*Most people receiving medicaid as blind persons are on fixed income 
  therefore paying medical costs out of pocket would be totally devastating 
  whether or not they have access to other coverage.
  * Many  blind persons have other conditions  such as diabetes which require 
  expensive drugs that even with Medicare Part D would be impossible to pay.
  *There are people on medicaid who have no other health coverage  which would 
  result in the Emergency Room becoming their primary source of health care 
  creating a financial burden on  either the patient or the hospital if the 
  patient were unable to pay.
  *Even if a person went out and got private insurance when Medicaid ended 
  the pre-existing condition clause could make the policy  virtually worthless 
  as the policy likely would not cover their eye condition or diabetes related 
  costs.

  *Even though  blind persons receiving Medicaid are generally low income 
  their income and assets are just high enough that they are not eligible for 
  regular Medicaid under another program. 
 

* the proposal to remove about 2800 blind persons from the state medicaid program does not save the state any money because the money is being diverted to higher education. 

* it is important to support higher education, but should it be done at the expense of blind citizens? 

* while the Blind Pension Fund benefits are asset based and not income based, most persons receiving the Blind Pension Fund benefit are low income and unemployed. 

* most persons receiving the Blind Pension Fund benefit are not going to be able to obtain private health insurance and not being employed, they will not be able to obtain it through their employers. 

* the effect of the proposed change will force many persons who now are able to live indepentently to sell the modest assets they have to become eligible for SSI and Medicaid.


http://www.dealingwithvisionloss.com  For some of us it's a way of life and for some of us it just makes life easier. Fred Olver