i too have experienced the same rises in my premiums and reduced benefits and no-i do not want 'status quo'...what i would like to see is a healthcare plan that truly benefits ALL those in need without penalizing the folks who work hard and pay for their own plans. i guess i am just saying that i don't think its right that the gov't plan is going to cost me more than i am already paying now and give me less care. if just keeping my current plan were an option over the more expensive gov't plan i would do so but my employer will likely have to drop offering coverage as it will become uanffordable for them very quickly.
the dept of agriculture does. the food stamp program is NOT funded by the State of Maine and never has been. Neither is WIC. both are federal programs and cost the state nothing...in fact they bring funds in to the state by giving people 'money' to spend on food they would otherwise not have thus giving the stores the business/income they would otherwise not have. the food assistance programs are not harmful socially and I say this as a fiscal conservative. what needs to stop is the bleeding of the tax payers through cash benefits that are used to buy cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, etc etc etc. if we were had a voucher system whereby individuals in need were issued vouchers specifically targeted to pay for things like clothing, utilities, housing we would be wasting far less and would likely see more people wanting to get off the programs more quickly. allowing people who are not working a disposable income is NOT in their best interest or ours...feeding, housing and clothing the poor is. if a person has no adequate shelter, is not adequately clothed and does not have enough to eat they cannot, mentally and emotionally, actively pursue gainful work. the pressures of meeting basic needs increases the crime rate (fact not moral issue) meet those basic needs on a temporary basis and the person has no excuse other than disability for sitting on their xss and tax payers gain a safer, cleaner, healthier community in the long run. i also advocate drug testing for all welfare recipients.
there are HUGE flaws in the federal plan as there are in the MA plan. case in point...an individual in MA is required by law to be insured...if not privately then by the State. this individual lost their job due to the recession and went on unemployment. this individual was required to continue to pay for their health insurance premiums out of their unemployment check - this premium took 2/3 of their check and they were left nearly destitute but because they had a modest 'gross' income they could not qualify for most other assistance. this problem is not fixed in the federal plan.
another case in point. the new federal law puts limits on FSA/HSA accounts. a high deductible plan is all my employer can afford to offer. they generously include an employer funded HSA to cover part of the deductible to which I contribute from my own pay to equal the full deductible...I will no longer be able to do this under the new law and the 'States' plan will be no less expensive for my family...the working middle class and working poor in this country will be no better off than before while the illegal immigrants and those who do not work and receive welfare will gain as more of them are able to enroll in the 'State' plans.
the federal plan is severely flawed and provides no relief for the hard working people of this country.
the ONLY way to get these issues addressed is to file a class action law suit. google "pineland consent decree", "community consent decree" and AMHI consent decree"...this will give an idea of what its going to take to get childrens needs met and rights protected. you all need to form a group and then get a lawyer behind you. as someone who has worked in the disability field for many many years I have been saying for a long time that a class action on behalf of children was needed...we need to get it done!!!! so many children with disabilities are either on waiting lists or cannot get the services they need and its only getting worse - more and more cuts to DOE, CDS, and Mental Health/Intellectual Disability services are only making it worse.
"...But humans do, she said, and without strong cultural cues, depression and schizophrenia spread. "
Veritas...this nut believes depression and schizophrenia is caused by a lack of strong cultural cues????? I don't need a PhD (that doesn't mean I don't have one) to know that depression and schizophrenia are biochemical and neurological disorders...yes, a host of environmental factors and stressors can exacerbate the condition and extremes in one's life can lead eventually to depression but schizophrenia is not "caused" by anything...it is an inherited disorder or occurs as a result of some trauma to the brain (head injury etc.). you don't get schizophrenia from being "confused" about your social role or place in the world...and I would even venture to stand on saying that though you may feel depressed about such things it is highly unlikely to become actually clinically depressed unless there is also something else going on in your neurology or biology-the circumstances would just be a trigger and/or exacerbating factor. Personality disorders are another story all together and perhaps she would be better off focusing on those in relation to sociology rather than actual mental illnesses.
twitch's Comments
crankyyank
i too have experienced the same rises in my premiums and reduced benefits and no-i do not want 'status quo'...what i would like to see is a healthcare plan that truly benefits ALL those in need without penalizing the folks who work hard and pay for their own plans. i guess i am just saying that i don't think its right that the gov't plan is going to cost me more than i am already paying now and give me less care. if just keeping my current plan were an option over the more expensive gov't plan i would do so but my employer will likely have to drop offering coverage as it will become uanffordable for them very quickly.
teaman-the state does not provide free food...
the dept of agriculture does. the food stamp program is NOT funded by the State of Maine and never has been. Neither is WIC. both are federal programs and cost the state nothing...in fact they bring funds in to the state by giving people 'money' to spend on food they would otherwise not have thus giving the stores the business/income they would otherwise not have. the food assistance programs are not harmful socially and I say this as a fiscal conservative. what needs to stop is the bleeding of the tax payers through cash benefits that are used to buy cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, etc etc etc. if we were had a voucher system whereby individuals in need were issued vouchers specifically targeted to pay for things like clothing, utilities, housing we would be wasting far less and would likely see more people wanting to get off the programs more quickly. allowing people who are not working a disposable income is NOT in their best interest or ours...feeding, housing and clothing the poor is. if a person has no adequate shelter, is not adequately clothed and does not have enough to eat they cannot, mentally and emotionally, actively pursue gainful work. the pressures of meeting basic needs increases the crime rate (fact not moral issue) meet those basic needs on a temporary basis and the person has no excuse other than disability for sitting on their xss and tax payers gain a safer, cleaner, healthier community in the long run. i also advocate drug testing for all welfare recipients.
huge flaws!!!
there are HUGE flaws in the federal plan as there are in the MA plan. case in point...an individual in MA is required by law to be insured...if not privately then by the State. this individual lost their job due to the recession and went on unemployment. this individual was required to continue to pay for their health insurance premiums out of their unemployment check - this premium took 2/3 of their check and they were left nearly destitute but because they had a modest 'gross' income they could not qualify for most other assistance. this problem is not fixed in the federal plan.
another case in point. the new federal law puts limits on FSA/HSA accounts. a high deductible plan is all my employer can afford to offer. they generously include an employer funded HSA to cover part of the deductible to which I contribute from my own pay to equal the full deductible...I will no longer be able to do this under the new law and the 'States' plan will be no less expensive for my family...the working middle class and working poor in this country will be no better off than before while the illegal immigrants and those who do not work and receive welfare will gain as more of them are able to enroll in the 'State' plans.
the federal plan is severely flawed and provides no relief for the hard working people of this country.
class action
the ONLY way to get these issues addressed is to file a class action law suit. google "pineland consent decree", "community consent decree" and AMHI consent decree"...this will give an idea of what its going to take to get childrens needs met and rights protected. you all need to form a group and then get a lawyer behind you. as someone who has worked in the disability field for many many years I have been saying for a long time that a class action on behalf of children was needed...we need to get it done!!!! so many children with disabilities are either on waiting lists or cannot get the services they need and its only getting worse - more and more cuts to DOE, CDS, and Mental Health/Intellectual Disability services are only making it worse.
"...But humans do, she said,
"...But humans do, she said, and without strong cultural cues, depression and schizophrenia spread. "
Veritas...this nut believes depression and schizophrenia is caused by a lack of strong cultural cues????? I don't need a PhD (that doesn't mean I don't have one) to know that depression and schizophrenia are biochemical and neurological disorders...yes, a host of environmental factors and stressors can exacerbate the condition and extremes in one's life can lead eventually to depression but schizophrenia is not "caused" by anything...it is an inherited disorder or occurs as a result of some trauma to the brain (head injury etc.). you don't get schizophrenia from being "confused" about your social role or place in the world...and I would even venture to stand on saying that though you may feel depressed about such things it is highly unlikely to become actually clinically depressed unless there is also something else going on in your neurology or biology-the circumstances would just be a trigger and/or exacerbating factor. Personality disorders are another story all together and perhaps she would be better off focusing on those in relation to sociology rather than actual mental illnesses.