[Nfbmo] KC Star Weighs in

Thu Mar 22 05:09:43 UTC 2012

Bryan,

In my opinion there is no reason that person would need a blind pension.

I was asked by several people why I didn't inquire about the blind pension while living  in Missouri. My response everytime was, " I don't need it,  and I don't want it."

It took me a long time to break the grip of SSI and I consider that a major accomplishment in my life. 

I am legally blind. I have a good job. I have health insurance, and I pay federal and state taxes to help those who need assistance.

-----Original Message-----
From: "Bryan Schulz" <b.schulz at sbcglobal.net>
Sender: nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org
Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:55:42 
To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List<nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
Reply-To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] KC Star Weighs in

hi,

thank you for that explanation.
Say a blind married person makes at least $50 or 60k per year and the sighted spouse receives, say $40 or 50k per year.
can you give some reason as to why the person in this case is allowed to qualify for blind pension?

Bryan Schulz

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Gene Coulter 
  To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List 
  Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 11:17 PM
  Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] KC Star Weighs in

  The statue you all are refering to  actually talks about sighted parent or 
  spouse. If a blind person  has a sighted spouse or parent  or spouse who can 
  support the blind person  they are not eligible for the pension.
  The reality is that if a blind person is single and lives with a sighted 
  parent or married to a sighted person they are given a form to have the 
  sighted person fill out, called Statement of Sighted Parent or spouse 
  Support,  with about a dozen questions to be completed. In practice it doesn’t 
  matter  how the person completes the form except the last two questions. The 
  second to the last question asks something like do you provide support for 
  this blind person?
  And, the last question  is to the effect of if you  do not provide support 
  why not.
  If your spouse or parent  answer the second to the last question “yes” you 
  will not receive BP  and will loose the hearing.
  And if you don’t answer the last question or put   a poor reason like “I don’t 
  feel like supporting him” you will also b denied. Generally just writing 
  something like “He is responsible for his own bills” is good enough. Also if 
  you write anything like I help him out or contribute  a little money to help 
  him out that will also result in denial.
  Hope this clears it up
  Gene
  From: Bryan Schulz
  Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 9:23 PM
  To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List
  Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] KC Star Weighs in

  hi,

  are you sure about that?
  that line is in the statute and there is one case with that exact situation 
  several people are aware of and both have significant income.

  Bryan Schulz

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Debbie Wunder
    To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List
    Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 8:11 PM
    Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] KC Star Weighs in

    Yes, I think you are right, it was very good! The only real thing I saw
    wrong was that the blind person could not have a sighted working spouse.

    Debbie
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: "Gene Coulter" <escoulter at centurytel.net>
    To: "NFB of Missouri Mailing List" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
    Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 7:33 PM
    Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] KC Star Weighs in

    >I really like this article = we need more like it.
    >
    >
    > From: Gary Wunder
    > Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 6:52 PM
    > To: nfbmo list
    > Subject: [Nfbmo] KC Star Weighs in
    >
    > I was interviewed briefly this morning. I think this reporter 
  understands
    > that the House leadership has not fully disclosed both what they know 
  and
    > what they don't care to know.
    >
    > Gary
    >
    > s ago Missouri House budget is cruel and deceptive
    > Barb Shelly Barb Shelly
    > The Kansas City Star
    > Republicans in the Missouri House should be utterly ashamed of the 
  budget
    > they passed late Tuesday, and the process they used to get there.
    > The $24 billion spending plan, which requires a final House vote before
    > going to the Senate, strips $28 million from a health care program used 
  by
    > 2,800 blind Missourians whose income is too high to meet the state's 
  very
    > low threshold for Medicaid coverage.
    > The House Appropriations Committee, chaired by Republican Ryan Silvey of
    > Kansas City, North, ended the decades-long health care program without
    > giving recipients the courtesy of a hearing, or bothering to find out 
  who
    > these people are and why they need health care. Instead, defenders of 
  the
    > atrocious move throw out red herrings.
    > In theory, someone could have a job with a high salary and still qualify
    > for
    > the health care program, they say. In theory, that's sort of right. All
    > the
    > state requires is that recipients' assets don't exceed $20,000, and that
    > they don't have spouses who are sighted and work.
    > In reality, though, a blind person with a good-paying job and health
    > benefits almost certainly isn't drawing from the state health-care
    > program.
    > The state requires that private insurance be used as the primary source 
  of
    > care.
    > And most of the 2,800 recipients aren't so lucky. Missouri's blind
    > population has a 70 percent unemployment rate. Its health care needs are
    > expensive and acute. Many of the people on the state's health care plan
    > for
    > the blind have diabetes. Some need dialysis or expensive organ
    > anti-rejection medication. Many need medication for glaucoma.
    > They are in dire need of regular medical care and their chances of being
    > ensured on the individual market with these expensive pre-existing
    > conditions are just about zero. Ironically, the same GOP lawmakers who
    > want
    > to throw blind Missourians over the cliff are the same ones who
    > ceaselessly
    > oppose "Obamacare," which is the best hope for people with low incomes
    > and/or pre-existing conditions to gain affordable, market-based health
    > care.
    > Should the unbelievable occur and the 2,800 blind recipients actually 
  lose
    > their health care, many would likely find their way to Missouri's
    > high-risk
    > insurance pool, meaning the state would continue to fund their health
    > care,
    > but through another channel.
    > Here's another red herring the Republicans are using: It's unfair to 
  give
    > the blind a health-care benefit that people with other disabilities 
  don't
    > get.
    > People with disabilities would be the first to tell you that they are a
    > diverse community, and cannot be lumped into one basket. And the state
    > responds to their needs in different ways. The developmentally disabled
    > and
    > severely physically disabled are eligible for Medicaid waivers and
    > services,
    > for instance.
    > I would challenge Silvey, or House Speaker Steve Tilley or any 
  Republican
    > to
    > tell us who exactly are "the disabled," and explain why it's OK to cut 
  off
    > aid for people with one incapacitating disability because everyone with
    > disabilities isn't receiving the same thing.
    > Silvey says it's necessary to cut aid to the blind because he refuses to
    > cut
    > any more money from the state's colleges and universities, as Gov. Jay
    > Nixon's budget recommends. But neither he nor any of the House GOP 
  leaders
    > have mentioned the obvious: That if you're taking health care from the
    > blind
    > to fund universities, it's time to look for new sources of revenue.
    > GOP leaders have in common with the Missourians they would cast into the
    > cold a lack of vision. The difference is that theirs stems from the head
    > and
    > heart.
    >
    > _______________________________________________
    > Nfbmo mailing list
    > Nfbmo at nfbnet.org
    > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmo_nfbnet.org
    > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
    > Nfbmo:
    > 
  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmo_nfbnet.org/escoulter%40centurytel.net
    > _______________________________________________
    > Nfbmo mailing list
    > Nfbmo at nfbnet.org
    > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmo_nfbnet.org
    > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
    > Nfbmo:
    > 
  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmo_nfbnet.org/debbiewunder%40centurytel.net
    >

    _______________________________________________
    Nfbmo mailing list
    Nfbmo at nfbnet.org
    http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmo_nfbnet.org
    To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
  Nfbmo:
    http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmo_nfbnet.org/b.schulz%40sbcglobal.net
  _______________________________________________
  Nfbmo mailing list
  Nfbmo at nfbnet.org
  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmo_nfbnet.org
  To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Nfbmo:
  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmo_nfbnet.org/escoulter%40centurytel.net
  _______________________________________________
  Nfbmo mailing list
  Nfbmo at nfbnet.org
  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmo_nfbnet.org
  To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Nfbmo:
  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmo_nfbnet.org/b.schulz%40sbcglobal.net
_______________________________________________
Nfbmo mailing list
Nfbmo at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmo_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Nfbmo:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmo_nfbnet.org/matt.sievert%40gmail.com