[Nfbmo] Fw: [Missouri-l] Fw: cuts for the Blind/Medicaid

Thu Mar 22 20:26:56 UTC 2012

Representative Silvey says he does not mean to be mean-spirited but that 
iswhat it is.  You do not rob Peter to pay Paul meaning you do notcut money 
for blind pension recipients to help higher education.

Cordially,

Jim Moynihan

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "fred olver" <goodfolks at charter.net>
To: "NFB of Missouri Mailing List" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 9:58 PM
Subject: [Nfbmo] Fw: [Missouri-l] Fw: cuts for the Blind/Medicaid

>A member of the MCB queeried Representative Ryan Silvey concerning health 
>benefits for blind folks in Missouri, below is his response.
>
> Fred Olver
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: Anne Murphy
> To: Education and Welfare Legislative mailing list
> Cc: mo chat list serve ; scccb mailing list ; MO List Serve
> Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 11:47 AM
> Subject: [Missouri-l] Fw: cuts for the Blind/Medicaid
>
>
> This is what he wrote in response to my email to him.
> Tell me what to say back.
> I want to cry.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: Ryan Silvey
> To: Anne Murphy
> Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 10:56 AM
> Subject: Re: cuts for the Blind/Medicaid
>
>
> Dear Ms. Murphy,
>
>
> Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding this issue. Please 
> know that this decision is not made lightly, nor is it meant to be in any 
> way "mean-spirited."  I certainly don't hold any hostility toward anyone 
> with a disability, blind or otherwise, and do not in any way minimize the 
> struggles they deal with on a daily basis.
>
>
> I believe there are many misconceptions around this issue due to the 
> oversimplified reporting of it and now the politicizing of this issue by 
> the Governor and certain special interest groups.  According members of 
> the Missouri Federation for the Blind that I have spoken with, 
> approximately 1% of the population is totally blind. Missouri has over 6 
> million people, therefore there are approximately 60,000 totally blind 
> individuals in the state of Missouri.  The program under discussion deals 
> with approximately 2,800 of these individuals, or less than 5%, that have 
> an income and whose income is too high for them to qualify for Medicaid. 
> These 2,800 individuals are costing the taxpayers of the state of Missouri 
> almost $30 Million per year.
>
>
> According to the statistics, over 57,000 blind individuals will not be 
> affected at all by the elimination of this program and those that would be 
> affected are, financially speaking, not the most vulnerable. In fact, 
> according to federal guidelines, they don't even qualify as disabled for 
> Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI.
>
>
> We "means test" Medicaid programs for a reason. "Means testing" is placing 
> income guidelines on a program to ensure that we are truly taking care of 
> those individuals that have no other option. If someone is paraplegic and 
> makes too much money to qualify for Medicaid, the state does not pay for 
> their medical bills. Similarly, if someone is deaf, or autistic, or 
> quadriplegic and their income exceeds the Medicaid requirements, the state 
> does not pay for their medical bills. In fact, the only disability that 
> receives this subsidy, regardless of their income, is blindness.
>
>
> In addition to making an income and having the state pay for all of their 
> medical bills, these individuals also receive a payment from the state of 
> over $700 per month known as the Blind Pension. This is also unique in the 
> disability community and will still continue if the proposed elimination 
> of medical coverage goes forward. In other words, these individuals would 
> make an income in excess of Medicaid requirements and have a $700 per 
> month stipend from the state that could be used to help secure medical 
> coverage from another source.
>
>
> Believe me, nobody likes to be the one recommending a decrease in services 
> for anyone with a disability. However, given the current fiscal situation 
> of the state facing a $500 Million deficit, and the Governor's continued 
> recommendations for cuts in education, I am absolutely confident that if 
> this program did not currently exist and someone proposed creating it, 
> there is no way it would be created at this time. Due to the inequity of 
> providing so much assistance for such a small percentage of one particular 
> disability, to the exclusion of all other disabilities, and the enormous 
> cost of about $30 Million annually, it is difficult to justify continuing 
> this subsidy.
>
>
> Emotionally, we would all like to be able to provide more for those who 
> are disabled. Realistically, I believe it is unsustainable to continue 
> doing so for a population whose income exceeds the Medicaid eligibility 
> for anyone else who is disabled.
>
>
> While you may still continue to disagree with me, I hope you will at least 
> be able to see that there are logical reasons behind the decision and not 
> just "mean-spirited" efforts at cost cutting.
>
>
> Thanks again for contacting me with your views.
>
>
> Ryan Silvey
> State Representative
> District 38
> Chairman, House Budget Committee
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Mar 21, 2012, at 10:04 AM, Anne Murphy wrote:
>
>
>  I am now 48 years old and began losing my vision at age 35 slowly.
>  I attended Rockhurst University as a sighted student and have many family 
> and friends in the KC area.  I call KC my second home
>  Your attempts to cut aid to the Blind/Medicaid is not thought of highly 
> by my family and you will lose votes for this.
>  They know my struggles as a blind person and my expenses and health care 
> expenses.
>  I urge you to reconsider your opinion on this matter.
>  My KC family and friends will not vote for you again if you do not.
>  Anne Murphy
>  St. Louis, MO
>
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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