Medicaid

[killingbill]

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Does anyone want to know why we pay so much in taxes?? How about the junkies who get suboxone that medicaid (aka we), that they go around and sell on the corner, or the 12 percocet 5's, the aspirin, birth control (why the hell does medicaid cover birth control!?!?!?), acne medications, calcium, docusate, the list goes ON and ON and ON. then these medicaid heads who get everything for free who roll their eyes at you when you tell the half an hour wait time.

Wake up people! This is not a socialist society. Why should I have to pay the cost of someone's addiction to drugs? They don't have enough money to get a 30 day of aspirin that they run and get a prescription for, but have enough to buy a syringe to go shoot up heroin.

Or the fresh off the boats who don't speak English who have been in this country for 6 months getting everything under the sun, for FREE!! while older people who were born and raised here suffer when they can't afford their medication.

That's why healthcare costs are so high. Eliminate this system of me having to take care of everyone else. get off your ass and get a job!

As a pharmacist, as a taxpayer, as an American, this healthcare system makes me sick!

 

[owlegrad]

You don't think paying for birth control is a good use of taxpayer's money?

 

[rph3664]

I was delighted when Iowa Medicaid decided to stop charging a $1 copay for birth control. I don't like my tax dollars being used to support junkies and criminals any more than you do, but OP, are you aware that most Medicaid dollars are spent on the elderly? Who do you think foots the bill for all those people in nursing homes? As for children, no matter what their parents may have done, it's not their fault. In my state, children in foster care automatically receive Medicaid, no matter what their foster parents' income and even if they are placed on their insurance. 👍

As for acne medications, why should a teenager whose parents got laid off have to have zits?

 

[humbeez]

Or the fresh off the boats who don't speak English who have been in this

I definitely understand and share the same frustration with the medicaid freeloaders. However I am sure many people, myself included may find this comment offensive. You need to watch it and Think before you type!

Thanks

 

[eeyore spice]

Your claim that you're a pharmacist is far more nauseating than anyone selling the script I just dispensed. If you hate poor people and immigrants so much, why are you in a profession that revolves around caring for others?

I hope you lose your job and find out how "easy" it is to be on Medicaid.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

Hmm... most of the patients I see in my outpatient hospital/clinic pharmacies that are on Medicaid are dying of cancer, elderly, or have severe mental disease. Granted, there are immigrants (which you seem to think so lowly of, but I reckon a lot of them have jobs you'd also turn your nose up at... and of course, you, being an American have absolutely no immigrants in your family history 🙄), but usually what they get are either preventative meds or meds to treat acute conditions. It's smarter to pay to treat a bacterial infection when it's small than have it escalate to require an ER visit. It's also smarter to provide insulin to a diabetic than have them be admitted in a diabetic coma. And you seriously don't want Medicaid to pay for BC? You realize 80% of women get pregnant within a year without preventative measures, correct?

Granted, there are people on Medicaid who don't understand things like, for example, the ER is not for primary care. But we can educate them. Because, likely, they didn't have someone who explained that to them. Even I get frustrated trying to figure out my health insurance benefits, and I have 24 years of education.

I seriously hope you're trolling. Because, otherwise, you're not very smart. And I'm sure your tune would change if you lose your job or get cancer. But then, you'd probably just think you're worth Medicaid, unlike all the other "losers."

 

[Rxnupe]

Does anyone want to know why we pay so much in taxes?? How about the junkies who get suboxone that medicaid (aka we), that they go around and sell on the corner, or the 12 percocet 5's, the aspirin, birth control (why the hell does medicaid cover birth control!?!?!?), acne medications, calcium, docusate, the list goes ON and ON and ON. then these medicaid heads who get everything for free who roll their eyes at you when you tell the half an hour wait time.

Wake up people! This is not a socialist society. Why should I have to pay the cost of someone's addiction to drugs? They don't have enough money to get a 30 day of aspirin that they run and get a prescription for, but have enough to buy a syringe to go shoot up heroin.

Or the fresh off the boats who don't speak English who have been in this country for 6 months getting everything under the sun, for FREE!! while older people who were born and raised here suffer when they can't afford their medication.

That's why healthcare costs are so high. Eliminate this system of me having to take care of everyone else. get off your ass and get a job!

As a pharmacist, as a taxpayer, as an American, this healthcare system makes me sick!

You are surely in the wrong field- who do you think pays for Medicare??? You are assuming that everyone on Medicaid is abusing the system which is not true. There are rich people who abuse drugs as well and do you know how many college kids sell their adderalls or oxycodones? Also keep in mind that there are some people who have medicaid who work it's just that their salary can't afford health coverage for one reason or the other. People like you do not need to be in any kind of Healthcare field period!

 

[SHC1984]

I feel the same way about medicaid and have voiced my opinion on here several times about that...but then I think...well it is kind useless to be mad at the people for taking advantage of medicaid. I mean if the government was smart and just get rid of that program all together then we would not have anything to worry about! People would have to actually get jobs then and things will work out. You can't blame the people if it is the government's dumb idea to begin with. I mean if the government one day decides to give the unemployed 90K a year for the rest of their life...well I can't blame the people for taking up on that offer!!! I can only blame the government's poor judgement.

 

[owlegrad]

I feel the same way about medicaid and have voiced my opinion on here several times about that...but then I think...well it is kind useless to be mad at the people for taking advantage of medicaid. I mean if the government was smart and just get rid of that program all together then we would not have anything to worry about! People would have to actually get jobs then and things will work out. You can't blame the people if it is the government's dumb idea to begin with. I mean if the government one day decides to give the unemployed 90K a year for the rest of their life...well I can't blame the people for taking up on that offer!!! I can only blame the government's poor judgement.

 

[rxlea]

Is this some sort of joke or do you routinely spout this vitriol?

 

[All4MyDaughter]

I mean if the government was smart and just get rid of that program all together then we would not have anything to worry about! People would have to actually get jobs then and things will work out.

Do you really think everyone who is on Medicaid could just "get a job"?

The elderly?
People with terminal cancer?
Foster children/orphans?
The mentally ******ed/developmentally disabled?
Amputees?
Those with traumatic brain injury?
People in persistent vegetative states?
The mentally ill?

What about them? What type of job could we find for these individuals?

 

[SHC1984]

Do you really think everyone who is on Medicaid could just "get a job"?

The elderly?
People with terminal cancer?
Foster children/orphans?
The mentally ******ed/developmentally disabled?
Amputees?
Those with traumatic brain injury?
People in persistent vegetative states?
The mentally ill?

What about them? What type of job could we find for these individuals?

I see what you are saying and I am aware of those people. I am just not sure if it is OUR responsibilty to paid for those people regardless of their problem. Yes, some women decides to have 1000000 children out of wedlock so now she can't support those children or yes, some people are born and are mentally ******ed and can't get jobs etc. I know those people can't get jobs so they are in a dilemnia, but should that mean that it is automatically other people's responbility to paid for those people????? That is the question. I mean we all have problems, but does that mean that automatically just b/c I have a problem that other people should give me their hard earn money??

I mean you are going to be a pharmacist working very hard for every penny you earn. Do you think it is a good or fair thing that the government will automatically take out about half of your paycheck just to support people with their problems? I mean I know people have problems but does that automatically mean it is OUR responsability to support them?? I mean I don't even know those people and neither do you! LOL... I guess the answer to that question is obviously a matter of opinion. I think if I work hard as a pharmacist or a person works hard and make a ton of money THAT PERSON should decide what to do with their money and the government shouldn't just take out half your paycheck to support people in need (no matter what their problem is).

SO the topic and questions should really be: Yes, there are people with problems...but does that automatically mean other people should give up their hard earn money to support those people with problems?? that is the question we are asking right now! lol...

 

[favoredchild]

I see what you are saying and I am aware of those people. I am just not sure if it is OUR responsibilty to paid for those people regardless of their problem. Yes, some women decides to have 1000000 children out of wedlock so now she can't support those children or yes, some people are born and are mentally ******ed and can't get jobs etc. I know those people can't get jobs so they are in a dilemnia, but should that mean that it is automatically other people's responbility to paid for those people????? That is the question. I mean we all have problems, but does that mean that automatically just b/c I have a problem that other people should give me their hard earn money??

I mean you are going to be a pharmacist working very hard for every penny you earn. Do you think it is a good or fair thing that the government will automatically take out about half of your paycheck just to support people with their problems? I mean I know people have problems but does that automatically mean it is OUR responsability to support them?? I mean I don't even know those people and neither do you! LOL... I guess the answer to that question is obviously a matter of opinion. I think if I work hard as a pharmacist or a person works hard and make a ton of money THAT PERSON should decide what to do with their money and the government shouldn't just take out half your paycheck to support people in need (no matter what their problem is).

SO the topic and questions should really be: Yes, there are people with problems...but does that automatically mean other people should give up their hard earn money to support those people with problems?? that is the question we are asking right now! lol...

You shouldn't be a health care professional period. aren't u supposed to be caring as one. u value money more than life. it doesn't make sense that b'cos u work hard for ur money, so u can't help through ur paycheck(govt. tax). If u cared about ur fellow human-being, money shouldn't be an object. we need more love for one another in this world. it is love for self & money that is taking away so much peace from the world.

 

[Dr Wario]

I agree with most of what the OP said except for birth control. In fact, I believe anyone on medicaid should be on FORCED bc, there is no reason we should encourage people to to pop out offspring constantly so they can be a bigger drain on the state. I also think that medicaid should be absolute bare bones essentials. For example, instead of giving people hundreds of dollars in food stamps every month to the point they can eat steak every day and still not use them all, we dispense government rations such as 50 lb bags of rice, powdered eggs, and dried beans.

Ultimately I agree medicaid should be dissolved, not that I don't think there are people that deserve help, but the program is much too big and too easy to corrupt. Assistance should be handled by local governments, or even better, let charities do what they were designed to do. Also, I hate to say it, but medicaid seems to be a very dangerous form of artificial selection (vs natural selection) in which the weak survive and weaken the strong.

I realize not all medicaid patients are mooching off the system, sadly though in my pharmacy (where 95% are medicaid) they are. My store has one of the highest shrink % in the chain, we get almost constant fake scripts/dr shoppers and suboxone literally flies off our shelves (>100 bottles/wk). Maybe a few of you work in different places where most of the people are actually deserving of assistance and not just lazy.

 

[Dr Wario]

Wow I have to wonder how that PCAT verbal score went for a few people...

 

[SHC1984]

Also, I hate to say it, but medicaid seems to be a very dangerous form of artificial selection (vs natural selection) in which the weak survive and weaken the strong.

Bingo!!! I was thinking the same thing just now! I agree with what you are saying...Charles Darwin, survival of the fittest...let that work it's way out. If we do that then eventually society will be molded into a place where all the strongest survive and are living well and don't need any free handouts.

I mean you see the animals in the forest...there is not "extra help" for the weak! lol...It's whoever is the strongest survive! I can't say it better myself.

 

[owlegrad]

Bingo!!! I was thinking the same thing just now! I agree with what you are saying...Charles Darwin, survival of the fittest...let that work it's way out. If we do that then eventually society will be molded into a place where all the strongest survive and are living well and don't need any free handouts.

I mean you see the animals in the forest...there is not "extra help" for the weak! lol...It's whoever is the strongest survive! I can't say it better myself.

We should be the same as animals? Good point.

Social Darwinism is whack. Consider inheritance for instance.

 

[owlegrad]

I agree with most of what the OP said except for birth control. In fact, I believe anyone on medicaid should be on FORCED bc, there is no reason we should encourage people to to pop out offspring constantly so they can be a bigger drain on the state. I also think that medicaid should be absolute bare bones essentials. For example, instead of giving people hundreds of dollars in food stamps every month to the point they can eat steak every day and still not use them all, we dispense government rations such as 50 lb bags of rice, powdered eggs, and dried beans.
....

Where do I sign up? 🙄

 

[rxlea]

Owlegrad, yeah... imagine all those sirloins you could get. Buffalo burgers. Pork chop. Lamb chops. the list is endless... but better hurry before all those medicaid patients and welfare recipients buy it up 🙄

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Bingo!!! I was thinking the same thing just now! I agree with what you are saying...Charles Darwin, survival of the fittest...let that work it's way out. If we do that then eventually society will be molded into a place where all the strongest survive and are living well and don't need any free handouts.

I mean you see the animals in the forest...there is not "extra help" for the weak! lol...It's whoever is the strongest survive! I can't say it better myself.

We are better than animals. Animals lick their own asses and **** on the ground. I hope we are more civilized than that.

And no, I don't have a problem paying taxes that help support the elderly, the disabled, the orphans and those who cannot fend for themselves. We spend WAY more on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan than we've spent on Medicaid, Food Stamps, WIC, and other programs to help the poor. I have a problem with THAT, far more than I have a problem with helping the least among us.

I think I was born with a great gift, and that gift is a bright mind that gives me the ability to enter pretty much any career I choose and enables me to make a salary that far outpaces what I would need to support myself and my family. I did nothing to earn that gift. I was born with it, and I feel it is a privilege to share the rewards of that gift with those who were lucky enough to be born with it.

Paying taxes is our moral obligation as citizens of society and each of us receives services in return for what we pay into society. Each of us receives services from our government that we could NEVER begin to pay for individually. Can you think of what some of those might be? If any of you think YOU don't take ANYTHING from the government, you are dead wrong.

 

[owlegrad]

Owlegrad, yeah... imagine all those sirloins you could get. Buffalo burgers. Pork chop. Lamb chops. the list is endless... but better hurry before all those medicaid patients and welfare recipients buy it up 🙄

Yum!

And my Escalade! Don't forget my Escalade! 21'' Rims baby!

 

[rph3664]

For example, instead of giving people hundreds of dollars in food stamps every month to the point they can eat steak every day and still not use them all, we dispense government rations such as 50 lb bags of rice, powdered eggs, and dried beans.

That's how it used to be done, and for some people that might be a practical solution, but what about someone who cannot eat the things given away for whatever reason, or who has no way to transport, cook or store the items? Food stamps enable people to get what they need and can use.

Honestly, I would rather see steak purchased with food stamps than a cartload of Cheetos and Mountain Dew.

 

[homeslice]

That's how it used to be done, and for some people that might be a practical solution, but what about someone who cannot eat the things given away for whatever reason, or who has no way to transport, cook or store the items? Food stamps enable people to get what they need and can use.

Honestly, I would rather see steak purchased with food stamps than a cartload of Cheetos and Mountain Dew.

Absolutely. I go to a grocery store in a not so nice area and I never cease to be amazed by the grocery carts literally overflowing with just that (or a variation thereof).

 

[rxlea]

The farmers' market in Phoenix, AZ started taking food stamps. It has been successful. Maybe other cities should follow suit..

 

[confettiflyer]

We are better than animals. Animals lick their own asses and **** on the ground. I hope we are more civilized than that.

And no, I don't have a problem paying taxes that help support the elderly, the disabled, the orphans and those who cannot fend for themselves. We spend WAY more on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan than we've spent on Medicaid, Food Stamps, WIC, and other programs to help the poor. I have a problem with THAT, far more than I have a problem with helping the least among us.

I think I was born with a great gift, and that gift is a bright mind that gives me the ability to enter pretty much any career I choose and enables me to make a salary that far outpaces what I would need to support myself and my family. I did nothing to earn that gift. I was born with it, and I feel it is a privilege to share the rewards of that gift with those who were lucky enough to be born with it.

Paying taxes is our moral obligation as citizens of society and each of us receives services in return for what we pay into society. Each of us receives services from our government that we could NEVER begin to pay for individually. Can you think of what some of those might be? If any of you think YOU don't take ANYTHING from the government, you are dead wrong.

My issue is whether we should be subsidizing subsistence vs. opportunities at productivity. Unless you're permanently disabled, elderly, or otherwise infirm, government aid (food stamps, section 8, etc...) should be limited to five years tops.

Channel the savings into free community college, trade/skills programs, 5 years of child care while you improve yourself, etc...

After five years, if you can't get your life in order even with all that assistance...you are kicked to the curb. No mas. That money is better spent on roads, college scholarships/grants, smart grids, etc...

(this is separate from unemployment, disability, etc...)

 

[rxlea]

I thought government aid was limited....

 

[rph3664]

The farmers' market in Phoenix, AZ started taking food stamps. It has been successful. Maybe other cities should follow suit..

Some of the bigger vendors at the one in my town do too, and they also take WIC checks and Senior Nutrition certificates, which are issued by my state for qualified elderly people. They come by the dozens from the low-income senior high rise 2 blocks away from the market on summer Saturday mornings. 🙂

 

[rph3664]

My issue is whether we should be subsidizing subsistence vs. opportunities at productivity. Unless you're permanently disabled, elderly, or otherwise infirm, government aid (food stamps, section 8, etc...) should be limited to five years tops.

Channel the savings into free community college, trade/skills programs, 5 years of child care while you improve yourself, etc...

After five years, if you can't get your life in order even with all that assistance...you are kicked to the curb. No mas. That money is better spent on roads, college scholarships/grants, smart grids, etc...

(this is separate from unemployment, disability, etc...)

And this is one reason why so many people are getting SSI who shouldn't.

 

[diplomat]

steak every day and still not use them all, we dispense government rations such as 50 lb bags of rice, powdered eggs, and dried beans.

Also, I hate to say it, but medicaid seems to be a very dangerous form of artificial selection (vs natural selection) in which the weak survive and weaken the strong.

Good points. Medicaid is a huge problem. For many American cultures it has become a coming of age. Mother teaches daughter how to acquire welfare which comes in the form of free housing, free food, free medicine, free medical care, add multiple "baby daddy" child suport checks coming in. It's sad that our society encourages irresponsible behavior such as having illegitimate children. For many young women, having illegitimate children is the best decision they could ever make for themselves. If they actually tried to do anything on their own they would fail and have nothing. The biggest travesty is Medicaid paying for Pre-Natal vitamins. These women should be trying to get a job, not trying to have a child. It's really sad and pathetic. I definitely believe there should be a form of public assistance for those who actually need it but it is pretty obvious it is being abused. An entire family will come into my pharmacy and spend hours upon hours attempting to get "free" bandaids, cotton balls, and lotion. My family had very little money growing up, we would have did our neighbors yard work for 10 dollars to buy soap and other OTC products before we would sit in CVS for hours begging for it. It's just shocking how it has become acceptable in some cultures to be dumb and ignorant. I can't understand 1/2 the medicaid people on the phone and in the pharmacy because their english and grammar is so poor.

 

[Stoichiometry]

All I can say is after working in a pharmacy I feel less sorry for those on Medicaid--yes I care about those that are struggling and need help, but I hate dealing with incredibly rude customers on medicaid that get everything free. I at least wish those on medicaid had to pay something for the meds to make them conscious of what they are getting. No one else gets their meds free, almost all other insurances make you pay something.

One incident sticks out in my mind--a young women complaining about needing a PA for prenatal vitamins with her medicaid. The prescription cost $4, and she was mad that she had to wait or pay!!!

 

[rph3664]

The biggest travesty is Medicaid paying for Pre-Natal vitamins.

I'm going to respectfully disagree with you. They aren't that expensive, and since many of those women are nutritionally compromised anyway, they more than pay for themselves IMNSHO. Some of those women may be Medicaid eligible because her husband lost his job, or her boyfriend split (I've never seen a case where they weren't better off without him, FWIW) and in my state, the Medicaid guidelines are very liberal if you are pregnant, and I'm fine with that.

 

[confettiflyer]

I thought government aid was limited....

Some are, some aren't. The 1996 reform act substantially gutted/put limits on assistance (yay Clinton), but some are need based and do not have specific time constraints.

i'm more philosophical than anything, i just don't believe able bodied adults who are capable of making choices should receive direct aid not attributable to any disaster/calamity/emergency. That money is better spent on the greater good--in areas that provide a more robust return on investment.

This isn't the 60's anymore....the country's broke!

 

[Jabberwocky12]

Coming from someone who was on medicaid AND food stamps I find it a little unfair to say that it is only for the people who don't want a job (or even the majority) or for people who only need a fix on drugs like oxy, soma, norco, suboxone, etc. Sometimes health insurance isn't provided from your employer or if so they SUCK (CVS part-time benefits where available) and you can't use them effectively anyway if you do get sick. And even if people abuse the system, there are still other people who need medicaid and foodstamps; regardless of whatever product or service you are talking about, the challenge of any market or system is to find ways to reduce the inevitable damage from someone who WILL find a way to take advantage of the system for their own benefit over others. It doesn't matter the case. And while a lady is "popping out kids," the children are not responsible for the actions of their mother so they shouldn't be punished; while you could argue that the mother shouldn't get coverage, if she dies or is sick then the children will be an even bigger "burden" on the state than before because they would be placed in the foster system and more money than the medicaid would be spent on them, while destroying lives in the process.

There was a good posting on a blog that I like I'll post here for you. I'm sure we've all seen Drug Nazi/Monkey somewhere but for the people who haven't:

http://drugmonkey.blogspot.com/2010/08/republican-welfare-queen-poised-to.html

I've had similar points but he puts it more eloquently. If you are worried about the tax money being paid out because of people on medicaid, then you obviously aren't as concerned about other issues taking out government money. Healthcare fraud, non-compliance related medical expenditures including hospital visits (which you see in people with "normal" health insurance as well) and the like take up A LOT more money than someone b*itching about how the state is "cheaping out" because they got fluticasone rather than the brand. Yes, I am of the opinion that you should be thankful for what you get and that the state is willing to help you live. I get angry when patients come in and act like they are entitled to everything. However, you cannot blame a system as a whole because of the faults of the people using it.

I work insurance now and have my own health insurance. And doing auto/property insurance, the beliefs and actions of people are no different than that in a pharmacy. People assume the system works one way and no matter what training you have, Betty from work knows more because she knew a friend who got into a fender bender "that one time in Jersey." They also believe the system is flawed because it doesn't work the way they want to, despite the fact that billions of dollars in underwriting guidelines were created to abide by federal and 50 state laws while trying to reduce costs for customers. Working in retail, insurance, pharmacy, whatever the job people are going to be ignorant and have a sense of entitlement. You can let it bother you, or just accept that some people will never better themselves and pity them for living in a perpetual ignorance.

If you look at other countries, Medicaid equivalents are the norm and private health insurance isn't as common as in America. If you look at the UK they have a budget every year to pay for their citizens and then they balance the deficit to a zero balance at the end of the year. Are those people also a burden on the country for using something provided by the government?

If you guys have a better idea to take care of people who can't take care of themselves, without increasing the federal deficit more than what it is projected to be now, while not sacrificing the overall quality of other programs citizens need, then I'm all ears.

I have a whole long rant on this very topic that spans how people view socialized things like medicaid vs library systems and fire departments and etc. but I have a genetics test tomorrow which I should be studying for now.

To be continued....bum bum BUMMMMMMMM

 

[Liberty2010]

My issue is whether we should be subsidizing subsistence vs. opportunities at productivity. Unless you're permanently disabled, elderly, or otherwise infirm, government aid (food stamps, section 8, etc...) should be limited to five years tops.

Channel the savings into free community college, trade/skills programs, 5 years of child care while you improve yourself, etc...

After five years, if you can't get your life in order even with all that assistance...you are kicked to the curb. No mas. That money is better spent on roads, college scholarships/grants, smart grids, etc...

(this is separate from unemployment, disability, etc...)

I tend to agree with this. Obviously you could list all sorts of exceptions, but there are alot of people that lack the incentives to make good decisions because the government always has and always will provide the stuff they want. Not saying they are all perpetual government leeches, but there are more than enough of them to make this a problem.

 

[Rxnupe]

I feel the same way about medicaid and have voiced my opinion on here several times about that...but then I think...well it is kind useless to be mad at the people for taking advantage of medicaid. I mean if the government was smart and just get rid of that program all together then we would not have anything to worry about! People would have to actually get jobs then and things will work out. You can't blame the people if it is the government's dumb idea to begin with. I mean if the government one day decides to give the unemployed 90K a year for the rest of their life...well I can't blame the people for taking up on that offer!!! I can only blame the government's poor judgement.[/QUOTEok get rid of the program so pays for the disabled? Who pays for children born with mentally ******ed children- you know they will need meds too. Also, the govt should just get rid of the program and have the people get jobs??? Hello!!! Where have you been? Please come back to planet earth! Get JOBS!!! WTF are you talking about? Do you realize the unemployment rate is still 9%? So all these people are going to find jobs? Do you realize there are hard working honest people with legit jobs who can't afford Health coverage??? Get lost!

 

[Rxnupe]

I feel the same way about medicaid and have voiced my opinion on here several times about that...but then I think...well it is kind useless to be mad at the people for taking advantage of medicaid. I mean if the government was smart and just get rid of that program all together then we would not have anything to worry about! People would have to actually get jobs then and things will work out. You can't blame the people if it is the government's dumb idea to begin with. I mean if the government one day decides to give the unemployed 90K a year for the rest of their life...well I can't blame the people for taking up on that offer!!! I can only blame the government's poor judgement.

ok get rid of the program so pays for the disabled? Who pays for children born with mentally ******ed children- you know they will need meds too. Also, the govt should just get rid of the program and have the people get jobs??? Hello!!! Where have you been? Please come back to planet earth! Get JOBS!!! WTF are you talking about? Do you realize the unemployment rate is still 9%? So all these people are going to find jobs? Do you realize there are hard working honest people with legit jobs who can't afford Health coverage??? Get lost!

 

[ucrx]

My issue is whether we should be subsidizing subsistence vs. opportunities at productivity. Unless you're permanently disabled, elderly, or otherwise infirm, government aid (food stamps, section 8, etc...) should be limited to five years tops.

Channel the savings into free community college, trade/skills programs, 5 years of child care while you improve yourself, etc...

After five years, if you can't get your life in order even with all that assistance...you are kicked to the curb. No mas. That money is better spent on roads, college scholarships/grants, smart grids, etc...

(this is separate from unemployment, disability, etc...)

I like this idea. The system is a great thing for those who need a little help getting back on their feet or have a reason they are unable to work, afford insurance, etc. There are plenty of people who abuse it but I don't think that should prevent those who need help from getting it.

For those who think Medicaid shouldn't pay for birth control, prenatal vitamins, or preventative medications, don't you think these are less expensive than children, sick children, or developing some chronic disease? That's the reason insurance companies pay for these items.

 

[coffee4drug]

If you have reasons to suspect that certain pharmacy customers are abusing Medicaid (for example, based on the cars they drive, the accessories they possess), would the medicaid deparment do an investigation on them if you report anonymously to it what you observe?

 

[R2pharmD2]

Coming from someone who was on medicaid AND food stamps I find it a little unfair to say that it is only for the people who don't want a job (or even the majority) or for people who only need a fix on drugs like oxy, soma, norco, suboxone, etc. Sometimes health insurance isn't provided from your employer or if so they SUCK (CVS part-time benefits where available) and you can't use them effectively anyway if you do get sick. And even if people abuse the system, there are still other people who need medicaid and foodstamps; regardless of whatever product or service you are talking about, the challenge of any market or system is to find ways to reduce the inevitable damage from someone who WILL find a way to take advantage of the system for their own benefit over others. It doesn't matter the case. And while a lady is "popping out kids," the children are not responsible for the actions of their mother so they shouldn't be punished; while you could argue that the mother shouldn't get coverage, if she dies or is sick then the children will be an even bigger "burden" on the state than before because they would be placed in the foster system and more money than the medicaid would be spent on them, while destroying lives in the process.

Thank you for posting all of my opinions verbatim so I don't have to bother

I understand the opinions of those who are frustrated by the abuse of the system that takes place, and that aspect certainly frustrates me too. But I would rather see those who truly need the help get it and risk some freeloaders than cut off aid to everyone.

And social darwinism? Yeah, let's just go ahead and set humanity back several millennia. 🙄

 

[meister]

*gets bent out of shape that someone gets medication for free because they're poor*


*happily masturbates to fantasies of being a billionaire and skipping around the world on a yacht*


*sees no connection between the two*

 

[pharm B]

I see what you are saying and I am aware of those people. I am just not sure if it is OUR responsibilty to paid for those people regardless of their problem. Yes, some women decides to have 1000000 children out of wedlock so now she can't support those children...

It is specifically this example that A4MD was addressing. The stereotype medicaid mama isn't the only class of medicaid patient out there. It's just an easy target for discussion. But you do discuss the other patients, too, in all fairness...

...or yes, some people are born and are mentally ******ed and can't get jobs etc. I know those people can't get jobs so they are in a dilemnia, but should that mean that it is automatically other people's responbility to paid for those people????? That is the question. I mean we all have problems, but does that mean that automatically just b/c I have a problem that other people should give me their hard earn money??

Someone posted a stereotypical rant against Medicaid, and you took the bait. Without any real prompting, you've revealed quite a bit about your personality. Do you honestly possess even a shred of compassion?

 

[FarscapeGirl]

To the OP and SHC1984, let's just go back to a feudal society. The rich stay rich, and the poor are dirt poor. If you just so happened to be born poor, you get to work in the fields 14 hours a day to survive. No healthcare, no sick days, no nothing. If you're a woman, you have lots of kids so maybe a few will survive. You'll die young, but the nice noble will have all his needs taken care of.

Oh, but wait. Our economy is based on having a middle-class, on a large amount of people working and buying things, so feudal systems won't exactly work. And we as a society (though obviously not you two) have decided that we'll take care of the poor, the dying, the young, and the old. We help out those that are the working poor, too, so that they can contribute to our economy. The government gives you student loans, too, so you can one day be a pharmacist, which is help, in case you haven't realized it. My grandfather didn't go to med school because he couldn't afford it.

A lot of you must never have been poor or known a family member who is. It takes a lot of time to get that free care from the government. If you're working, possibly two jobs, and maybe even taking care of loved ones who are worse off than you, good luck finding the time to wait in line at a free clinic all day. You put off going to the doctor because you can't miss time at work. Then if you get on Medicaid, you can get bumped off if your situation improves, even though you still don't have enough to cover health insurance. You may get food stamps, but it's often not enough, and while beans and rice are cheap, it also takes time and energy to cook them, which if you're working lots, you might not have.

And those charities? You know what my mom got from food banks from the church? Marinades. Lots and lots of marinades. Because, of course, the reason we weren't eating steaks was because we couldn't afford to marinade them. 🙄 A lot of people who are on government help are also receiving help from charities. But it's not enough. And once you get down to the level where you need all that help, it's very hard to get yourself back up again. You spend a lot of time getting help to survive, so much so that it's hard to find the time to get back to being a productive member of society.

 

[rxlea]

Some of you shouldn't be in health care. Pick up the clue phone.

 

[pharmschooler]

Does anyone want to know why we pay so much in taxes?? How about the junkies who get suboxone that medicaid (aka we), that they go around and sell on the corner, or the 12 percocet 5's, the aspirin, birth control (why the hell does medicaid cover birth control!?!?!?), acne medications, calcium, docusate, the list goes ON and ON and ON. then these medicaid heads who get everything for free who roll their eyes at you when you tell the half an hour wait time.

Wake up people! This is not a socialist society. Why should I have to pay the cost of someone's addiction to drugs? They don't have enough money to get a 30 day of aspirin that they run and get a prescription for, but have enough to buy a syringe to go shoot up heroin.

Or the fresh off the boats who don't speak English who have been in this country for 6 months getting everything under the sun, for FREE!! while older people who were born and raised here suffer when they can't afford their medication.

That's why healthcare costs are so high. Eliminate this system of me having to take care of everyone else. get off your ass and get a job!

As a pharmacist, as a taxpayer, as an American, this healthcare system makes me sick!

I assume you've seen The Big Lebowski? You remind me an awful lot of Mr. Lebowski. 🙄 "Where's my **** money, you bums!"

 

[SHC1984]

It is specifically this example that A4MD was addressing. The stereotype medicaid mama isn't the only class of medicaid patient out there. It's just an easy target for discussion. But you do discuss the other patients, too, in all fairness...



Someone posted a stereotypical rant against Medicaid, and you took the bait. Without any real prompting, you've revealed quite a bit about your personality. Do you honestly possess even a shred of compassion?

I stated later on that I realize there are people that are in need that is of no fault of their own. However, I am still not sure if that should automatically entitle those people to OTHER people's hard earn sweat money. Other people or let's say pharmacists work extremely hard for their money and I think all pharmacists truely earn EVERY penny they made...it's definetly not "easy" money, so should people with problems, just b/c they have problems be entitle to your hard earn money? What I am asking is a matter of opinion and no one will ever come into agreement on this.

I think I was born with a great gift, and that gift is a bright mind that gives me the ability to enter pretty much any career I choose and enables me to make a salary that far outpaces what I would need to support myself and my family. I did nothing to earn that gift. I was born with it, and I feel it is a privilege to share the rewards of that gift with those who were lucky enough to be born with it.
.

Never thought about it like that. You are a very nice person.

 

[pharmschooler]

I stated later on that I realize there are people that are in need that is of no fault of their own. However, I am still not sure if that should automatically entitle those people to OTHER people's hard earn sweat money. Other people or let's say pharmacists work extremely hard for their money and I think all pharmacists truely earn EVERY penny they made...it's definetly not "easy" money, so should people with problems, just b/c they have problems be entitle to your hard earn money? What I am asking is a matter of opinion and no one will ever come into agreement on this.




Never thought about it like that. You are a very nice person.

You've never once considered you could have been born without good mental faculties? I find it amazing to think you haven't thought of your life in these terms. What if you were the one with the mental or physical illness that kept you from working? How would you feel then, if others said you were a bum for relying on government aid?

Never forget, everything could change tomorrow and you could be in their position.

 

[Dr Wario]

To the OP and SHC1984, let's just go back to a feudal society. The rich stay rich, and the poor are dirt poor. If you just so happened to be born poor, you get to work in the fields 14 hours a day to survive. No healthcare, no sick days, no nothing. If you're a woman, you have lots of kids so maybe a few will survive. You'll die young, but the nice noble will have all his needs taken care of.

The problem with this example is that in a feudal society, you were kept in your place by law backed with military force. You are not a noble? learning to read is outlawed. In today's United States (and most places in the world) there is no one holding a gun to your head and saying that you can't better yourself. That is what got us out of tyrannical/feudal systems, freedom. I'm sorry to say this, but in a society where you are free to succeed, you also must be free to fail, and people will fail. How many more fail though, because the social safety net keeps their lives just above intolerable and they never gain the will to better themselves?

As to social Darwinism, this term is a bastardization of a revolutionary idea. Charles Darwin was a proponent of evolution through natural selection, the term social darwinism, in most contexts refers to artificial selection. Being highly attributed to Hitler, he wanted to select for attributes that he thought best, not ones necessarily best suited to the environment. This can be quite dangerous for a society, imagine if you will, the modern poodle living without the aid of humans.

No one can escape natural selection, we as humans are always evolving, however our physical evolution is trumped by the evolution of ideas. Would you not want the best ideas to survive and weaker ones to die? This is how science works (or is supposed to work), the best and most accurate ideas live, and ones that are less supported die. Should we force weaker ideas to survive, is that fair?

 

[owlegrad]

...As to social Darwinism, this term is a bastardization of a revolutionary idea. Charles Darwin was a proponent of evolution through natural selection, the term social darwinism, in most contexts refers to artificial selection. Being highly attributed to Hitler, he wanted to select for attributes that he thought best, not ones necessarily best suited to the environment. This can be quite dangerous for a society, imagine if you will, the modern poodle living without the aid of humans.

No one can escape natural selection, we as humans are always evolving, however our physical evolution is trumped by the evolution of ideas. Would you not want the best ideas to survive and weaker ones to die? This is how science works (or is supposed to work), the best and most accurate ideas live, and ones that are less supported die. Should we force weaker ideas to survive, is that fair?

I will not pretend to be an expert, but I thought social darwinism meant that rich people are rich precisely because they are better than poor people? In other words, poor people are poor because they deserve to be poor (and vice verse). Your description of social darwinism sounds like eugenics to me, I do not believe the terms are interchangeable. Of course if I am wrong, so be it. I don't mind being wrong if it means I can learn something. Pretty sure social darwinism refers to a socio-economic idea though, not eugenics.

Are you comparing allowing "weaker" ideas to survive to giving aid to those who cannot provide for themselves? Interesting perspective.

 

[type b pharmD]

Some of you shouldn't be in health care. Pick up the clue phone.

this.

all of my friends on medicaid deserve it and need it desperately. i've never met "welfare moms" although im sure they exist.. but it's not worth eliminating vital support for our needy to stop abuse. it just comes down to the fact that there will be people in a society that NEED help, and it is our responsibility to help them.

 

[pharm B]

I stated later on that I realize there are people that are in need that is of no fault of their own. However, I am still not sure if that should automatically entitle those people to OTHER people's hard earn sweat money. Other people or let's say pharmacists work extremely hard for their money and I think all pharmacists truely earn EVERY penny they made...it's definetly not "easy" money, so should people with problems, just b/c they have problems be entitle to your hard earn money? What I am asking is a matter of opinion and no one will ever come into agreement on this.

It's already been pointed out in other threads that there are people who work far harder than your average pharmacist, but make peanuts in comparison.

As far as whether I think people with problems should be entitled to my hard-earned money? If I have a five in my pocket and see someone who could make better use of it, I give it to them. I tried telling you in another thread that some of us have left careers that were more or at least equally as lucrative as pharmacy to enter a field where we could help others. As you have pointed out time and time again, there are other careers where you can make much more money.

My question is: why aren't you pursuing one of them?

You're constantly down on pharmacy, and you've joined the rainy day brigade and their oversaturation rhetoric.

In the pre-pharmacy forum, people are asking if saying "I want to help people" sounds too cheesy in an interview. Do you even want to help people? Is it all people, or just the ones who are on your level of materialism or above?

Your description of social darwinism sounds like eugenics to me, I do not believe the terms are interchangeable.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.