Medicaid

[FarscapeGirl]

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The user Meister is a medical student NOW I think. So it doesn't make sense for him to be on medicaid b/c to my knowledge MOST schools required you to purchase their medical insurance. The school AUTOMATICALLY bill you for their insurance...so I do not see why he would need medicaid for him or his family. The school offers medical insurance to the student's and all their family members. It makes no sense for any student to be on medicaid b/c schools offer medical coverage, actually REQUIRE medical coverage. I guess he must have declined the coverage to be on medicaid just to save some $$$ on student loans.

Novel idea: not every school requires that you buy medical coverage!! We have the option to buy it, but it's not required. And it's okay coverage for a student, but it's not very good coverage for a student's family, and it's very expensive.

My friend's husband went on her student insurance for awhile. Her visits were free at the health center, but his were over $100 bucks. With kids, that can add up to a lot quickly.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

I think majority of the folks who are opposed to expanding welfare are think out of concern for the survival of this nation and what will left of it for the next generation. It's just not excessive healthcare spending that needs cutting, but also military and social security, etc. It's gonna hurt, but stopping spending this nation into bankruptcy will prevent far more pain for everyone.

And you don't have to use hyperboles about killing yourself due to defects. Natural selection has done that job for billions of years. We acquired the ability to effectively oppose that force with technology in relatively recent history. Only time will tell the consequences of replacing it with artificial selection.

Okay, since no one paid attention to my last two posts on this subject: if you're so concerned about saving our nation money, do something about end-of-life care! According to one article, Medicare paid $55 billion during patients' last few months of life. And it's estimated that 20 to 30 percent weren't medically necessary nor positively affected the lives of the dying.

See the link here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/05/60minutes/main6747002.shtml

That's not counting people on Medicaid or those that are on private insurance, which may not directly cost our government money but increase costs for us all and raise the cost of healthcare.

I'd rather we supply people with antibiotics to treat a minor infection than have them end up in the emergency room when the infection spreads. I'd rather someone get treated for a heart condition, reducing their morbidity and allowing them to work for a living, than to have them put it off and make the condition worse or die, perhaps leaving their family in even worse poverty. I'd rather supply diabetic medications to people then have them collapse, and have an ambulance come to take them to the hospital.

This would save us money. Middle-aged, poor, single men get taken to the hospital and treated in an emergency condition, regardless of their eligibility for Medicaid (which is next to nil).

 

[xiphoid2010]

Okay, since no one paid attention to my last two posts on this subject: if you're so concerned about saving our nation money, do something about end-of-life care! According to one article, Medicare paid $55 billion during patients' last few months of life. And it's estimated that 20 to 30 percent weren't medically necessary nor positively affected the lives of the dying.

I agree with you that the end of life care needs to be scaled back. It is certainly an area of excess that we can make some cuts. But that alone is not going to be nearly enough. That again brings the issues back to cuts needs to be made in other areas of healthcare program. (not forgetting also the military, and the social security...)

Again, when making cuts, the issue is always where. As I mentioned earlier, it would be illogical to cut healthcare on those who are paying more into the system than they are taking out. It would also be somewhat illogical to cut out care of those who will be paying for the system. As you already mentioned, what makes the most sense is to cut on segments that is by all probability will always be a net drain on the system.

I realize that cold logic, but the writing is on the wall, and we need to make cut NOW, not talk about it some more for 10+ years or do it when medicaid and social security becomes insolvent. In my opinion, this country has gotten too soft, and forgetting our immigrant roots who came here with nothing, had no safety net, yet survived and built this country by blood and sweat.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Oh boohoo, just like you are presuming to know mine. Give you the short of it, my family came here with NOTHING. My family of 3 lived on $900 a month from my father's graduate stipend + $100 from my paper route. We got no medicare or medicaid or student loans. Yep, yours must be so much worse.

Hell, I was living off of that much a few months ago. Your tale of whoa fails to impress me. **** almost $17k a year in today's money is livable as hell, IMO. Shop at Aldi's, split a cable bill between everyone in your building (today, one family gets broadband and like 5 families share it...)...hell, that's easy. IF you had to pick food out of the trash, your parents might have just been on crack and couldn't afford it. Food, in general, can be cheap as hell. And if your parents refused to get their kids signed up for medicaid, they were reckless idiots. What if you needed....I don't know...medical attention? WTF kind of irresponsibility is that?

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I think majority of the folks who are opposed to expanding welfare are think out of concern for the survival of this nation and what will left of it for the next generation. It's just not excessive healthcare spending that needs cutting, but also military and social security, etc. It's gonna hurt, but stopping spending this nation into bankruptcy will prevent far more pain for everyone.

Or they could just raise taxes to levels similar to what the rest of the civilized world pays.

All of the budget **** could be solved by increasing taxes like 5 or 6%. Being that the top bracket was over 80 or 90% for decades back in the 40s, 50s, and 60s (the longest period of true manufacturing growth in American history), its not like it hasn't been done before with success. And I'm just talking like, what, 45%?

But the country is filled with stupid people that like living in a plutonomy, so it is what it is.

 

[xiphoid2010]

Hell, I was living off of that much a few months ago. Your tale of whoa fails to impress me. **** almost $17k a year in today's money is livable as hell, IMO. Shop at Aldi's, split a cable bill between everyone in your building (today, one family gets broadband and like 5 families share it...)...hell, that's easy. IF you had to pick food out of the trash, your parents must have been on crack. Food, in general, can be cheap as hell. And if your parents refused to get their kids signed up for medicaid, they were reckless idiots. What if you needed....I don't know...medical attention? WTF kind of irresponsibility is that?

Were you also paying tuition, with no medicaid and medicare on that budget? No, I didn't think so. And of course every immigrants is immediately fully informed of the great social safety net, or if it was even available to foreign students back then. 🙄 One thing truth we learned immediately when we came here: we have to fend for ourselves.

And the point of the tale is: at this income level, people in this country are getting welfare, when in fact it's quite possible to cut it back further. People can endure tougher conditions with less handouts, they just don't want to.

 

[xiphoid2010]

Or they could just raise taxes to levels similar to what the rest of the civilized world pays.

All of the budget **** could be solved by increasing taxes like 5 or 6%. Being that the top bracket was over 80 or 90% for decades back in the 40s, 50s, and 60s (the longest period of true manufacturing growth in American history), its not like it hasn't been done before with success. And I'm just talking like, what, 45%?

But the country is filled with stupid people that like living in a plutonomy, so it is what it is.

There is no single cut or hike that will solve the problem this nation faces.

But let's look at the situation. 2011 budget $3.7 trillion, but running at $1.6 trillion deficit. You think a tax hike is going to solve that problem?

Balancing the budget is a complex problem, but in the end it all boils down to benefits need to be cut and taxes needs to be raised.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Were you also paying tuition, with no medicaid and medicare on that budget? No, I didn't think so.

Tuition was cheap back then. Hell, it was $800/semester like 10 years ago for me in WV. Probably even cheaper even more back in the day. Split that up into monthly increments...yeah, I could have done it, easy.

And of course every immigrants is immediately fully informed of the great social safety net, or if it was even available to foreign students back then. 🙄 One thing truth we learned immediately when we came here: we have to fend for ourselves.

Man, please. I don't believe you at all. You were probably on Medicaid. There is NO WAY in hell, your parents would go years without putting you on medicaid unless they literally spoke to no other people. Being that most immigrants find local pockets of fellow countrymen and share how to make it in the US, I find it very, very unlikely that they were oblivious to the existence of medicaid. Every child that is in the country legally or illegally is eligible for benefits. Because they are children. If they didn't have you signed up, they were just flipping negligent.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

There is no single cut or hike that will solve the problem this nation faces.

But let's look at the situation. 2011 budget $3.7 trillion, but running at $1.6 trillion deficit. You think a tax hike is going to solve that problem?

Balancing the budget is a complex problem, but in the end it all boils down to benefits need to be cut and taxes needs to be raised.

Nah, you're right. A radical program of massive wealth redistribution is what is needed. Then the economy can be stabilized with a strong middle class.

That **** ain't happening though.

 

[xiphoid2010]

Tuition was cheap back then. Hell, it was $800/semester like 10 years ago for me in WV. Probably even cheaper even more back in the day. Split that up into monthly increments...yeah, I could have done it, easy.

I agree, it wasn't too bad. My dad's tuition was waved being a teaching assistant, and nursing school for my mom was abut $4K a year back then. So after tuition we had equivalent of ~$1000 per month left in today's dollar. I didn't have to dig go through garbage for food, but did picks cans and news paper to make money recycling. The point is, US citizens at this income level would be getting welfare when in fact, they can tough it out.

Man, please. I don't believe you at all. You were probably on Medicaid. There is NO WAY in hell, your parents would go years without putting you on medicaid unless they literally spoke to no other people.

Hate to inform you man, I just looked it up, medicare/medicaid (or public assistance in general) IS NOT available to foreign students. It's a violation of immigration law to accept it. So the answer to your suggestion is definitely a NO.

 

[rph3664]

Xiphoid, your parents probably did go on assistance and just didn't tell you about it.

 

[Smiles425]

@Xiphoid

I don't understand why you expect people to do "WHATEVER it takes to survive, live on expired food, 2nd hand cloths, picking through the garbage when you must" This is America. We are a developED nation, not developING like China. In fact, I would bet if life was as ****ty here as it was in China, your parents, and other immigrants, may not have bothered to come here. We don't work in sweat shops, pick through garbage, or eat expired food because we as a nation have the money to make sure the relative majority of our citizens don't have to stoop that low. I'm sorry but I wouldn't want to be a citizen in a place where that was expected. Thank God, I'm not.

I'm trying to see both sides of the issue here and much of your arguement seems to be based on the idea that most people on medicaid make enough to afford healthcare or have the ability to make enough to afford it and therefore take advantage of the system by using it. Please provide evidence. Thanks

 

[Ilikechemicals]

Nah, you're right. A radical program of massive wealth redistribution is what is needed. Then the economy can be stabilized with a strong middle class.

That **** ain't happening though.

Why wait? You can give up 90% of your pharmacist's salary now.

 

[xiphoid2010]

Xiphoid, your parents probably did go on assistance and just didn't tell you about it.

Do your research. Foreign students and their family are NOT eligible for medicaid or public assistance per U.S immigration law.

 

[xiphoid2010]

We don't work in sweat shops, pick through garbage, or eat expired food because we as a nation have the money to make sure the relative majority of our citizens don't have to stoop that low. I'm sorry but I wouldn't want to be a citizen in a place where that was expected. Thank God, I'm not.

Oh yes, "we as the nation have the money..." that's why the government has an income of $2.1 trillion but spends $3.7 trillion. 🙄

 

[sleazye]

Why wait? You can give up 90% of your pharmacist's salary now.

This is exactly what I've been saying in several posts. If you truly believe in redistribution of wealth, there is nothing stopping you from donating 1/2 your income to charity or to directly pay for health insurance for your fellow man.

 

[sleazye]

Or they could just raise taxes to levels similar to what the rest of the civilized world pays.

All of the budget **** could be solved by increasing taxes like 5 or 6%. Being that the top bracket was over 80 or 90% for decades back in the 40s, 50s, and 60s (the longest period of true manufacturing growth in American history), its not like it hasn't been done before with success. And I'm just talking like, what, 45%?

But the country is filled with stupid people that like living in a plutonomy, so it is what it is.

Sorry to call you out, but this is just plain inaccurate. High taxes may have correlated with the peak in US manufacturing but it is also true that taxes were horrendous when manufacturing began its decline. Which is correlation and which is causation? It is also fairly common knowledge that the stagflation in the 70s and 80s was a result of those crazy taxes implemented in the preceding years, among other things like government spending for the war in Vietnam and the oil crisis. Not to imply that taxes are as high now but see any similarity?

 

[Smiles425]

Oh yes, "we as the nation have the money..." that's why the government has an income of $2.1 trillion but spends $3.7 trillion. 🙄

Well we DID have the money before bush, the recession, and obama. So I guess by your estimates we can improve the debt problem by regressing our country to an industrial revolution era. Whatev. Still waiting for evidence to support your thoughts...

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Do your research. Foreign students and their family are NOT eligible for medicaid or public assistance per U.S immigration law.

When you apply for an F1 visa to come to this country, you are required to demonstrate adequate resources to support yourself and whomever you are bringing with you on your F2 visas. Money in the bank, someone in the home country who will support you, etc. Because student visa holders are not (supposedly) planning to immigrate to this country and are in fact guests who allegedly can afford to be here, they aren't eligible for as many public support programs as citizens or other residents. However, there are circumstances that allow international students to become eligible for certain types of public assistance.

Interestingly, holders of F1 (student) and F2 (spouse and kids) visas aren't generally allowed to work (F1 can work on campus and get OPP/CPP but that's it) so if you had a paper route, you were violating immigration law.

 

[meister]

Oh yes, "we as the nation have the money..." that's why the government has an income of $2.1 trillion but spends $3.7 trillion. 🙄

I wonder how much money the 30,000 families in the US that have income in excess of $27 million a year have sitting in various bank accounts around the world....hmmmm...it's almost as if the super-rich are vampires, sucking the life out of the rest of us. Don't worry, I'm sure their tax bracket (15% on capital gains, 0% on their accumulated wealth vs. your ~25% overall federal rate) will recoup a lot of that stolen wealth.

This is exactly what I've been saying in several posts. If you truly believe in redistribution of wealth, there is nothing stopping you from donating 1/2 your income to charity or to directly pay for health insurance for your fellow man.

I'm sure WVU pays whatever taxes are legally required of him, which is more than I can say for the thousands of millionaires in this country that essentially own the government and spelunk around the world on their yachts on stolen wealth.

 

[sleazye]

I wonder how much money the 30,000 families in the US that have income in excess of $27 million a year have sitting in various bank accounts around the world....hmmmm...it's almost as if the super-rich are vampires, sucking the life out of the rest of us. Don't worry, I'm sure their tax bracket (15% on capital gains, 0% on their accumulated wealth vs. your ~25% overall federal rate) will recoup a lot of that stolen wealth.


I'm sure WVU pays whatever taxes are legally required of him, which is more than I can say for the thousands of millionaires in this country that essentially own the government and spelunk around the world on their yachts on stolen wealth.

Stolen? Vampires? How is that?

As cute as it is that you are sticking up for him, I'm sure that WVU can speak for himself. After reading his post, it sounds like he believes taxes are too low and he supports redistribution of wealth to make everyone middle class. He's welcome to take it upon himself to do so, as are you when you become an attending. Change begins at home.

 

[cycloketocaine]

Wow, this thread is a giant trainwreck.

It saddens me that some people participating in this thread will some day serve these Medicaid patients. I seriously hope some of these posts are jokes or lame attempts at trolling.

 

[SHC1984]

I wonder how much money the 30,000 families in the US that have income in excess of $27 million a year have sitting in various bank accounts around the world....hmmmm...it's almost as if the super-rich are vampires, sucking the life out of the rest of us. Don't worry, I'm sure their tax bracket (15% on capital gains, 0% on their accumulated wealth vs. your ~25% overall federal rate) will recoup a lot of that stolen wealth.


I'm sure WVU pays whatever taxes are legally required of him, which is more than I can say for the thousands of millionaires in this country that essentially own the government and spelunk around the world on their yachts on stolen wealth.

Please do not talk about stealing. YOU are stealing since you put yourself and your family on medicaid when you could have easily just taken out available student loans. 🙄 With student loans this abundant, there is no reason for any students to be on medicaid. Being on medicaid so you can graduate without any debt IS stealing. 👎

 

[SHC1984]

I'm trying to see both sides of the issue here and much of your arguement seems to be based on the idea that most people on medicaid make enough to afford healthcare or have the ability to make enough to afford it and therefore take advantage of the system by using it. Please provide evidence. Thanks

There is obviously NO written scientific evidence that a family can survive and don't need medicaid if they spend wisely. However, some people in this thread myself included HAVE live with salaries that are waaaaaay BELOW the average medicaid recipent's salary and we still lived fine. Like I mentioned earlier. My family of 4 lived on 25K a year when we first move to this country. I never went hungry and I was fine overall. The only thing was we never had any medical insurance...we took the risk and none of us were ever really that sick. However, we lived perfectly fine with 25K a year and that's way less than a typical medicaid's family salary.

 

[rph3664]

Please do not talk about stealing. YOU are stealing since you put yourself and your family on medicaid when you could have easily just taken out available student loans. 🙄 With student loans this abundant, there is no reason for any students to be on medicaid. Being on medicaid so you can graduate without any debt IS stealing. 👎

When I was in college the first time in the early 1980s, the Reagan Administration declared that student loans, Pell Grants, scholarships, etc. were income, and a lot of people were losing their Medicaid, food stamps, etc. as a result and in many cases had to leave school. 😡 These were primarily students who had children, often single parents. I don't have a problem with any such money in excess of the amount needed for tuition, books, mandatory fees, etc. to be considered as income.

If you are qualified for a program, you are not stealing.

ETA: As for Medicaid, just because they are on it doesn't mean they're taking advantage of the system. I'm sure there are some Medicaid recipients who never use it, but they have it in case they need it.

 

[cycloketocaine]

Please do not talk about stealing. YOU are stealing since you put yourself and your family on medicaid when you could have easily just taken out available student loans. 🙄 With student loans this abundant, there is no reason for any students to be on medicaid. Being on medicaid so you can graduate without any debt IS stealing. 👎

You have absolutely NO room to judge someone or accuse them of "stealing". You have no concept of the real world or what it is like to raise a family on all these loans that you talk about. I sincerely hope you are not as ignorant as you portray yourself to be. Until you have a family or have to support yourself (heaven forbid), you have no room to judge others.

 

[meister]

Please do not talk about stealing. YOU are stealing since you put yourself and your family on medicaid when you could have easily just taken out available student loans. 🙄 With student loans this abundant, there is no reason for any students to be on medicaid. Being on medicaid so you can graduate without any debt IS stealing. 👎

lol

 

[SHC1984]

When I was in college the first time in the early 1980s, the Reagan Administration declared that student loans, Pell Grants, scholarships, etc. were income, and a lot of people were losing their Medicaid, food stamps, etc. as a result and in many cases had to leave school. 😡 These were primarily students who had children, often single parents. I don't have a problem with any such money in excess of the amount needed for tuition, books, mandatory fees, etc. to be considered as income.

If you are qualified for a program, you are not stealing.

He most likely just took out enough loans to cover his tuition and deny the rest of the loans and took out medicaid. That way he can graduate with little debt and be on "free" insurance.

 

[cycloketocaine]

He most likely just took out enough loans to cover his tuition and deny the rest of the loans and took out medicaid. That way he can graduate with little debt and be on "free" insurance.

Nevermind. You're not worth my time or effort.

 

[Smiles425]

There is obviously NO written scientific evidence that a family can survive and don't need medicaid if they spend wisely. However, some people in this thread myself included HAVE live with salaries that are waaaaaay BELOW the average medicaid recipent's salary and we still lived fine. Like I mentioned earlier. My family of 4 lived on 25K a year when we first move to this country. I never went hungry and I was fine overall. The only thing was we never had any medical insurance...we took the risk and none of us were ever really that sick. However, we lived perfectly fine with 25K a year and that's way less than a typical medicaid's family salary.

Obviously? Any social scientist could design a study looking at families like your own to see how well they thrive in poverty and without medicaid. I'm just looking for more than anecdotal evidence. Are the stories that you and xiphoid talk about simply luck or the norm. BTW I think its cool that your family was able to survive below the proverty line and without medicaid. But if something were to happened to a member of your family, like TB, being hit by a car, cancer, whatever, your family probably would have gone bankrupt trying to pay it off or care would have been refused.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

He most likely just took out enough loans to cover his tuition and deny the rest of the loans and took out medicaid. That way he can graduate with little debt and be on "free" insurance.

You need to be quiet. You have no idea what his situation is. Perhaps he has a child with a catastropic illness who cannot get insurance coverage? Maybe he has a child with special medical needs or a disability? Those children are nearly impossible to insure as well. Maybe he attends a school (like mine) that requires health insurance but doesn't have any provisions for students to purchase any type of group insurance through the school? Do you know how much it costs to insure a family if you can't purchase group insurance through school or work? If a family has to purchase individual coverage (non-group) it would be thousands per year, well beyond what student loan budgets provide.

Once again, you are talking about things you have NO idea about. You don't work, you live off your family and your biggest worry is whether you're going to get fat or if the boy you have a crush on is going to message you on Facebook. I'm sure we'd all love to be young and worry free like you are, but the reality of life is that most of us aren't. So don't try to tell ANYONE else how to take care of their family and don't accuse anyone else of stealing for accepting LEGALLY offered government benefits designed to promote the health and welfare of their children. You have NO CLUE what it means to be a parent and be responsible for the welfare of another person, so please stop talking out of your ass.

 

[rph3664]

Or the hospital would have written it off as indigent care, thereby increasing expenses for the rest of us.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

He most likely just took out enough loans to cover his tuition and deny the rest of the loans and took out medicaid. That way he can graduate with little debt and be on "free" insurance.

Oh and hey... if he's only getting loans for tuition, who is paying for his family's housing, food, clothing, school expenses, etc? Oh that's right, YOU think MEDICAID covers those expenses. You are probably talking about the Medicaid Food Benefit again. And the Medicaid cash benefit that allows patients to purchase cocaine!!

You have failed to learn ANYTHING from the discussion in this thread, haven't you? 🙄

 

[Smiles425]

He most likely just took out enough loans to cover his tuition and deny the rest of the loans and took out medicaid. That way he can graduate with little debt and be on "free" insurance.

Someone correct me if I am wrong please, but I don't think loans are considered income when applying for medicaid. Afterall, you have to pay the loan BACK eventually.

Oh, are you implying that he could have used his student loans to get insurance? yeah, some people can't get insurance because of pre-existing conditions.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

Nevermind. You're not worth my time or effort.

My husband, who I share these posts with, and I have decided SHC is either a professional troll (she certainly knows what to say to rile people up) or a sheltered, willfully ignorant child.

I go more with child. $25K when she was growing up was not poverty level, and she likely wouldn't have been eligible for any support, even if her family had wanted it. Heck, at that time, gas was less than a dollar a gallon. My mom and stepdad probably lived on that amount, and we did okay. We didn't eat the greatest, and clothes came from a mix of sales at lower-end department stores and Wal-Mart. But we paid our bills.

I truly think SHC thinks poverty means not being able to afford a Coach purse. She certainly has the mentality of one who's never had a hardship in her life. I have a few family members like that. They're my age, and their parents' income has increased slowly over time. No major illnesses, no major money issues directly in their family, and they're a little sheltered. Although not nearly as heartless and clueless as SHC!

 

[Pharmacceptance]

Oh and hey... if he's only getting loans for tuition, who is paying for his family's housing, food, clothing, school expenses, etc? Oh that's right, YOU think MEDICAID covers those expenses. You are probably talking about the Medicaid Food Benefit again. And the Medicaid cash benefit that allows patients to purchase cocaine!!

You have failed to learn ANYTHING from the discussion in this thread, haven't you? 🙄

You are my hero. It truly amazes me how people with little to no empathy can end up as a pharmacist.. or even a healthcare professional.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Someone correct me if I am wrong please, but I don't think loans are considered income when applying for medicaid. Afterall, you have to pay the loan BACK eventually.

Oh, are you implying that he could have used his student loans to get insurance? yeah, some people can't get insurance because of pre-existing conditions.

In general I think students can't get Medicaid unless there are other circumstances that qualify them. I'm not an expert on that.

As far as buying insurance, for a family it would probably be at least $400/month and that may be low for individual family coverage (not group insurance). That probably is a low estimate; I'm just not sure b/c we've always been able to buy group insurance. Individual family coverage would be even higher if someone had a pre-existing condition or major disability. There are very few student loan budgets that allocate thousands of dollars/year for health insurance.

 

[joetrisman]

I don't support all of SHC's comments. But as someone mentioned earlier, I do think I agree with some of the spirit of her argument. I've worked with countless immigrants that came to this country with no more than a $100 to their names, and they are all middle class citizens now. I personally know a guy that became a paraplegic in high school and went on to become a pharmacist. I laugh at him cause he doesn't believe in handicap parking stickers. He parks like everyone else does. I think a lot of people look for reasons to give up on achieving their goals in life. Some don't.

 

[sleazye]

In general I think students can't get Medicaid unless there are other circumstances that qualify them. I'm not an expert on that.

As far as buying insurance, for a family it would probably be at least $400/month and that may be low for individual family coverage (not group insurance). That probably is a low estimate; I'm just not sure b/c we've always been able to buy group insurance. Individual family coverage would be even higher if someone had a pre-existing condition or major disability. There are very few student loan budgets that allocate thousands of dollars/year for health insurance.

It's usually around 2k per year barring pre-existing conditions.

 

[Moxxie]

In 2011, the Federal Poverty Level for a family of four is $22,350. When SHC was younger, I'm sure it was much lower. So at her mom's pathetically low $25,000/year, her family was ABOVE the poverty level...

I just don't think that some of the people here understand the intricacies of real life, when you have to pay for food, healthcare, shelter, daycare, bills, debt, etc., without a family to fall back on. My husband was laid off at the end of 2008 (when our daughter was only 4 months old). I had insurance through my school, which included NO Rx benefits, and was only covered at a low cost if you went to the student health center. Well, I went to a Satellite campus - the student health center was ~250 miles away! Still, I made do, stretching my meds as I could and being creative about getting healthcare.

For over 8 months we tried to keep our daughter on my husband's individual health insurance (itself over $250/month for high-deductible coverage; my daughter's insurance was another $120/month). When student loans (which I maxed) and extra work hours for me (during rotations) just weren't enough to cover this, we applied for Medicaid for our daughter (1 years old at that point). When I explained our situation and provided financial documents, I was actually scolded by the case worker for not applying earlier, because we had met the requirements for so long. Luckily my daughter has been healthy (and this should be noted - it's very rare for kids to only see their pediatrician at their regular checkups), and during the entire time we were on Medicaid, we only used it a few times for routine visits.

After almost a year of looking my husband found another job, at ~60% of his earlier pay. Yes, he took unemployment during this time, but it was ~$250/week, which I dare you to pay for a family of three with medical bills, pharmacy school tuition, etc.

My situation is far from atypical. Are there medicaid "lifers?" Yes. But a vast majority of people who have the ability to get off of government support get off of it eventually, and I don't think I'd be exaggerating by saying that most of them are very thankful for the service and willing to support it once their incomes rise enough to be taxed for it.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

I don't support all of SHC's comments. But as someone mentioned earlier, I do think I agree with some of the spirit of her argument. I've worked with countless immigrants that came to this country with no more than a $100 to their names, and they are all middle class citizens now. I personally know a guy that became a paraplegic in high school and went on to become a pharmacist. I laugh at him cause he doesn't believe in handicap parking stickers. He parks like everyone else does. I think a lot of people look for reasons to give up on achieving their goals in life. Some don't.

The problem with these types of anecdotes is that they become elevated to "facts" that are then used to debase and degrade people who can't (for whatever reason) reach the same level of "acheivement" as the striver in the anecdote. It's analogous to the "I walked to school uphill both ways in the snow leading my blind brother and carrying my legless sister" stories that old timers like to tell to show "the kids" how easy they have it today.

Just because your friend has made the choice not to use parking for the disabled, doesn't mean others aren't entitled to use it. And I hope that your friend wouldn't ridicule someone who does.

Likewise, the fact that SHC and xiphoid had parents who came to this country and made it without government assistance doesn't give them the right to deride and ridicule those who DO need that assistance. Accusing someone on Medicaid of stealing when in reality they are only making use of a legally available government assistance program and trying to do the best for their family is beyond the pale. Way beyond.

Just because one person has acheived an accomplishment does not make them better than those who struggle and fail. My only child was murdered about three years ago. The divorce rate for couples who lose a child is very, very high. My husband and I almost split after her death but we worked through it and have made our marriage stronger. So when we go to support groups, do we have the right to be judgmental and condescending to people who were not able to hold their marriages together after a tragedy? After all, WE made it and THEY did not. We must be superior people then, right? "If we can do it, anyone SHOULD be able to." That's the type of attitude I'm seeing in this thread and I think it's despicable.

 

[type b pharmD]

It's usually around 2k per year barring pre-existing conditions.

my roommate just looked at insurance on the open market. SINGLE, HEALTHY, no dependents, we're talking around 10-20k/year in premiums is what he found , with 10k being basically piss poor coverage.

he's going to be making 6 figures eventually but it still represents like 25+% of his after tax income even at that point (not sure about tax advantages). in doing so, he is choosing to redistribute his wealth to everyone in the country who cant afford insurance. he's a very generous guy, lemme tell ya.

not sure what country you're talking about, but dont you think if insurance was 2k a year companies wouldnt be paying 12k/year for their employees on group plans (ie with large group discounts)

 

[cycloketocaine]

So......did anyone watch the NBA dunk contest last night?

 

[Smiles425]

It's usually around 2k per year barring pre-existing conditions.

OMG! Please tell me where I can get health insurance for a healthy family that low!!!!!!!!! This is unheard of!!!!!!!

 

[All4MyDaughter]

It's usually around 2k per year barring pre-existing conditions.

Definitely not. My husband and I pay more than that per year and we're purchasing group insurance through his Fortune 500 employer.

 

[R2pharmD2]

It's usually around 2k per year barring pre-existing conditions.

It actually varies widely depending on deductible. I just ran a quote on Humana.com for me and my family (including my wife and 1 child),and here are the numbers it gave me for a plan paying 80% of costs after deductible:

$1,000 deductible: $357/month
$2,500 deductible: $251/month
$3,500 deductible: $208/month
$5,000 deductible: $185/month

There are obviously other providers and other plan types available, but that provides a fairly representative sample. So a family can get a plan for around 2k, if they're willing to choose a $5,000 deductible. If they actually end up using that plan though, their costs are going to be much higher.

 

[joetrisman]

The problem with these types of anecdotes is that they become elevated to "facts" that are then used to debase and degrade people who can't (for whatever reason) reach the same level of "acheivement" as the striver in the anecdote. It's analogous to the "I walked to school uphill both ways in the snow leading my blind brother and carrying my legless sister" stories that old timers like to tell to show "the kids" how easy they have it today.

Just because your friend has made the choice not to use parking for the disabled, doesn't mean others aren't entitled to use it. And I hope that your friend wouldn't ridicule someone who does.

Likewise, the fact that SHC and xiphoid had parents who came to this country and made it without government assistance doesn't give them the right to deride and ridicule those who DO need that assistance. Accusing someone on Medicaid of stealing when in reality they are only make use of a legally available government assistance program and trying to do the best for their family is beyond the pale. Way beyond.

"Facts" are anecdotes strung together unless they eventually prove to be false. Life is all observation and educated guesses made off of those observations. I'm just stating my observations. Discredit them if you like. Additionally, by and large, "need" is a very subjective argument, but most americans have a hard time identifying that.

my roommate just looked at insurance on the open market. SINGLE, HEALTHY, no dependents, we're talking around 10-20k/year in premiums is what he found , with 10k being basically piss poor coverage.

not sure what country you're talking about, but dont you think if insurance was 2k a year companies wouldnt be paying 12k/year for their employees on group plans (ie with large group discounts)

I pay $28/month. Not really health insurance. More like "bankruptcy protection".

 

[cycloketocaine]

For my husband, 2 daughters and I, we pay 440 dollars a month out of his check. This is also at a Fortune 500 company. Thank goodness we have it, as I have a chronic disease, and my last pregnancy racked up $ 196,000 in hospital bills.

 

[xiphoid2010]

Interestingly, holders of F1 (student) and F2 (spouse and kids) visas aren't generally allowed to work (F1 can work on campus and get OPP/CPP but that's it) so if you had a paper route, you were violating immigration law.

Correct, a grand-uncle put up the money as guarantee for the visa but of course that's not for living expenses. And unlike others, seems like you did look up the fact the international students are not eligible for public aid. Good.

As for the legality of my paper route, I was too little to fully understand. But the way the new paper company explained to my parent, if I remember correctly, is that being a paper boy is not classified as real work, like baby sitting. There was no paycheck or pay stubs, I bought new paper from the company cheap and the subscribers paid full price. The difference is what I made, akin to selling cookies. But who knows if that's really the case, may I was working illegally.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

"Facts" are anecdotes strung together unless they eventually prove to be false. Life is all observation and educated guesses made off of those observations. I'm just stating my observations. Discredit them if you like. Additionally, by and large, "need" is a very subjective argument, but most americans have a hard time identifying that.

I'm not really sure what any of that means... are you saying that you think it's fine for those who have acheived to deride those who (for whatever reason) are unable to? Because that was my point. Just b/c ONE person makes it without disabled parking, or medicaid, or escapes divorce - they are not a better person entitled to judge and degrade those who cannot duplicate their acheivement.