Sally and I were trying to get in a quick walk around our condo complex. It was chilly, almost 6 PM. A small SUV, a Mercedes, pulled up next to us. A guy got out. He looked to have been in his late 50’s or early 60’s. He carried a package of food from the street through the driveway and up a flight of stairs to the door of a condo. We saw him return quickly to his vehicle and drive away. Grub Hub? Uber Eats? I didn’t think it was my place to ask. And why was a guy driving a Mercedes running food? Is he retired and bored? That would be a nice story. But what if he was laid off and this is the only way he can make ends meet? What if this is the way he is putting food on HIS table? I don’t think you can make enough money to afford a Mercedes lifestyle delivering for a food service. So, if this is a gig of necessity, what would you think if you saw him in line at a church or a community pantry picking up food for his family? Did he need this gig? It wasn’t my place to ask. It certainly wasn’t my place to judge.
Last summer’s Big Beautiful Bill will result in many people losing their health insurance.
- The cuts to Medicaid will prevent some Americans from accessing health care except in emergency situations, force more rural hospitals to close, and increase our insurance premiums as the doctors and hospitals are forced to shift the cost of their services to those of us paying for care.
- The intentional choice to ignore the expiration of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits will price a large number of Americans age 50 – 64 ½ out of the insurance market. If they are lucky, they can find jobs with benefits. As they drop their insurance, these people will be forced to purchase short-term major-medical policies, junk contracts, non-insurance insurance policies, or just go bare and hope for the best. With only the sick and the responsible purchasing plans, the rates have to increase. There is a huge difference between insuring a risk and guaranteeing payment for a certainty. And when the uninsured and underinsured access the hospitals and visit the doctors, this, too, will increase the rates for the rest of us.
- Every price increase will force a certain number of Americans to abandon their insurance. We are creating a death spiral.
What I find odd is that every time I get into a conversation about Medicaid, someone feels compelled to tell me about the guy beating the system. It happened again today. The lawyer wanted me to know that his client is driving a nice car, has a nice watch, and is on Medicaid (free health care). Say the words Food Bank and you will hear about all of the Volvos and BMWs in line for free food.
I don’t judge and I don’t care.
Being poor is a full-time job, one that you don’t really want. I have helped people try to get Medicaid, people who more than qualified for the social safety program, people who had a real need. It has never been easy. I have been tossed out of the CareSource office, twice, while trying to get clients enrolled into Medicaid. The stigma of needing help was relieved, in part, by the design of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). And yet, the judgement never ends. The nerve of some poor people not groveling, not advertising their shame.
We don’t know why someone needs help. And it is true that some of the people who take help don’t need it. How many businesses took advantage of the COVID era Paycheck Protection Program (PPP Loans) that didn’t need the help? You may remember the poorly targeted Loans that were quickly forgiven. Even the smallest of businesses could claim $20,000, $50,000, or more, even if the business wasn’t likely to be impacted by the pandemic. But this was money going to businesses, so it was OK.
We shouldn’t need to fight to provide food, shelter, and medical care for people in need.
Dave
Picture – Better Times Are Around The Bend – David L Cunix
Bonus Link – Sally wanted you to have this Mercedes link.