NC kicks more than 15,000 blind, disabled or elderly off Medicaid

[piasabird]

So they can afford plenty of extra millions for teachers salary increases. Help the blind and handicapped and elderly or help teachers???

The Senate budget ends Medicaid coverage or eligibility for more than 15,000 blind, disabled or elderly people, cutting the state's support for the program by about $32 million.

Read more at http://www.wral.com/senate-approves-21-1b-spending-plan/13689351/#ZjVJ1idBL1SsWS7g.99

One of those priorities is raising teacher salaries. The Senate budget sets aside $468 million to give teachers an average $5,800 salary increase, but those accepting the money would lose their career status rights, which is commonly referred to as tenure.

Someone has to lose in this budget game.

 

[DCal430]

Remember these are people who are on SSI, because they have been determined to be totally disabled or unable to work due to age or major disability. These are people who are most vulnerable, and in greatest need. Republicans have condemned them.

 

[Fern]

Excellent FUD. Like SS, medicare & medicaid aren't programs that will ever be unfunded... well, unless the lackeys of the Uber Rich take over the govt.
-snip-

Well, since you brought it up SS retirement benefits have been cut.

And SS isn't funded by the US govt. It's funded by withholding taxes employees and employers pay.

Fern

 

[Fern]

Remember these are people who are on SSI, because they have been determined to be totally disabled or unable to work due to age or major disability. These are people who are most vulnerable, and in greatest need. Republicans have condemned them.

The OP's article is mighty thin on facts so it's not possible to know at this point. But the NC Medicaid site says if you qualify for SSI, you automatically for NC's Medicaid program.

You are automatically eligible for Medicaid if you receive any of the following benefits:

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Work First Family Assistance

State/County Special Assistance for the Aged or Disabled (Adult Care Home Assistance )

Special Assistance to the Blind

http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dma/medicaid/who.htm

Fern

 

[DCal430]

The OP's article is mighty thin on facts so it's not possible to know at this point. But the NC Mediciad site says if you qualify for SSI, you automatically for NC's Medicaid program.



http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dma/medicaid/who.htm

Fern

That is before this bill passed.

 

[DCal430]

If you are legally blind and your income is less than 1,800 a month you automatically qualify for SSI.

 

[DCal430]

So I looked into it more, and it is eliminates it for those who income exceeds SSI limit of 1,800 for blind and 721 for old and disabled.

Those without "too much" income who are blind, disabled, old still will qualify.

 

[Fern]

That is before this bill passed.

Yeah, the site hasn't been updated since the bill was passed. But the info in the article is lacking so I don't think we can tell what the changes actually are.

I would hope we get a better explanation when the new rules kick-in.

Fern

 

[Jhhnn]

Well, since you brought it up SS retirement benefits have been cut.

And SS isn't funded by the US govt. It's funded by withholding taxes employees and employers pay.

Fern

False. Efforts to cut SS have been halted. And, yeh, all federal programs are funded either by taxes or borrowing. There are just different ways of accounting for it, like the current SS trust balance of nearly $3T.

 

[Jhhnn]

Someone has to lose in this budget game.

Not N Carolina's wealthiest citizens, obviously.

 

[OutHouse]

that is a good idea imo because private charity would take care of poor people fine in a free society. medicaid does nothing but steal and recycle waste (e.g., patents generally increase the cost of medicine)

how much do you give to disabled and blind charities per year?

 

[DCal430]

So, in order to qualify for SSI a person must pass 3 test.

Income Test - Less than 1,070 for Disabled or 65+, 1800 for blind
Asset Test - Less than $2000
Disabled/Blind/64+ Test, anyone one who is deemed disabled, legally blind, or 65+ passes

If you meet all 3 test you automatically qualify for SSI and Medicaid and are called "Categorically Needy", if you only meet the 3rd test, you can qualify as "Medically Needy", less than 5% of people on Medicaid are "Medically Needy", almost everyone qualifies by passing all 3 test and are "Categorically Needy"

To qualify as Medically Needy however you must spend almost all of your income on medical bills for that month. Medically needy assets on a monthly to 6 month basis. Most people who are Medically Needy or only receiving medicaid temporarily. This bill reduced those who qualify for Medically Needy.

Example: Joe is a paraplegic and unable to walk. Joe is able to work a few hours a week though and makes $1,200 a month. Too much to qualify as categorically needy, and Joe employer doesn't provide insurance. Joe is uninsured, and his MAGI is only 900 a month so he makes to little to qualify for any ACA subsidy. Joe is part of the uninsured. Joe has an accident is hospitalized for 2 weeks at a cost of $100,000.

Under the current program: During his 2 week hospital stay, once Joe spends down basically all of his income he qualifies for Medicaid. Joe's responsibility for his bill will be about 1,100 less some allowable amount. Medicaid will pay the rest.

Under the new law: Joe never qualifies for medicaid and remains uninsured during this hospital stay, he must pay the 100,000 on his own. Joe will likely now file for bankruptcy.

Joe now has the option of leaving his job and immediately qualifying for SSI and Medicaid, or knowing that if he is hospitalized he won't have this backstop to help him.

 

[DCal430]

This affects those who are disabled/65+ whose total income is greater than 1,070, but MAGI is less than 973.

 

[sportage]

I'm guessing without even reading much of this THAT NC refused Medicare expansion free money for the state, yet now face no money for the poor.
Typical...
And WHY is it with all these dumbfounded decisions in states, WHY is it behind the congress persons name we always find (R) meaning republican?
Am I the only one detecting a trend here?
The trend of (R) boiling down to (R)idiculous. (R)etarded. (R)eally anal.

 

[Jhhnn]

how much do you give to disabled and blind charities per year?

It doesn't matter. You regularly resort to such bullshit as a denial mechanism.

 

[JEDIYoda]

that is a good idea imo because private charity would take care of poor people fine in a free society. medicaid does nothing but steal and recycle waste (e.g., patents generally increase the cost of medicine)

You are correct on paper it is a good idea!! But when was the last time any sort of handout was paid for my private charities? Sure some try, BUT 100% of the time?

So when was the last time you gave to a private charitie??

 

[Exterous]

Help the blind and handicapped and elderly or help teachers???

Not sure where you get those as the only two options. From your own link:

To pay for the (teacher salary) raises, the budget slashes funding for teaching assistants in early grades by half.

Its not like they are raking in the money to start with as NC ranks 46th for teacher salary. Even with this raise they would be well below the average teacher pay and there are very real concerns that if something isn't done they will face serious teacher shortages

No state has seen a more dramatic decrease in teacher salary rankings in the past 10 years

http://www.npr.org/2014/02/11/275368362/pay-cuts-end-of-tenure-put-north-carolina-teachers-on-edge
http://www.wral.com/report-nc-teacher-pay-slides-against-peer-states/12190793/

 

[Fern]

False. Efforts to cut SS have been halted.
-snip-

It's already been cut. Most of us here cannot retire on full SS at 65 yrs like those retiring now can due the cut.

Fern

 

[Jhhnn]

It's already been cut. Most of us here cannot retire on full SS at 65 yrs like those retiring now can due the cut.

Fern

People retiring today at 65 will not receive full benefits. Full retirement age for people born between 1943 & 1954 is 66. The last year to receive full benefit at age 65 was 2008. The last year to receive full benefit at age 66 is 2020, iirc.

It's an extended waiting period spelled out long ago. No actual cuts to full benefits have occurred.

On the other side of it, retirees who wait until their full retirement age will receive full benefits regardless of income, & there are now a variety of ways to boost SS in retirement that were not previously possible.

A person who retired at age 62 or older can pay back all they've received interest free & refile for full benefits once they reach full retirement age. For lots of people, they can boost their monthly disposable income by... borrowing more money, oddly enough.

There are a variety of other strategies, as well, like working & receiving partial benefit during early retirement dependent on income. That's particularly attractive to low wage earners.

No actual benefit reductions have occurred- the incentives have changed. There is a difference.

I'll give you a real world example. I retired in Dec of last year at age 64-1/2, began SS in January. Had I waited another 18 months, My monthly benefits would have increased by ~$100 to $1850/mo or so. At age 66, I can go back to work for 6 months, doing anything, refile & receive my full benefit if I so choose.

18 months of freedom now for $100/mo against an uncertain life expectancy. It'll take a long time to make up the cash difference for the $31,500 I'll receive over those 18 months- 26 years at current rates. I won't live that long. Other people can look at it differently, of course.

 

[Engineer]

Not sure where you get those as the only two options. From your own link:



Its not like they are raking in the money to start with as NC ranks 46th for teacher salary. Even with this raise they would be well below the average teacher pay and there are very real concerns that if something isn't done they will face serious teacher shortages



http://www.npr.org/2014/02/11/275368362/pay-cuts-end-of-tenure-put-north-carolina-teachers-on-edge
http://www.wral.com/report-nc-teacher-pay-slides-against-peer-states/12190793/

and it doesn't help them that Texas is actively recruiting NC teachers to move to Texas at higher pay/benefits/perks.

 

[OutHouse]

It doesn't matter. You regularly resort to such bullshit as a denial mechanism.

denial of what? that charities fall way short of taking care of the disadvantaged? no deinal there pal its just fact. sorry my "bullshit" is the truth that you cant handle. now go back to your dope den on Colfax and dont come out.

 

[Jhhnn]

denial of what? that charities fall way short of taking care of the disadvantaged? no deinal there pal its just fact. sorry my "bullshit" is the truth that you cant handle. now go back to your dope den on Colfax and dont come out.

I misinterpreted your remarks. I apologize, asshole.

 

[MrColin]

I live in NC and its pretty clear to everyone I know that the state legislature wants to turn this place into a faith-based forced labor death camp.