One might expect the victims of this Republican policy to be spread all over the US, but that is not the case. All 89,000 are in just one state, Pennsylvania. The manner in which Republicans did this clearly demonstrate that that they are misanthropes, without heart and without conscience.
Since August 2011, 89,000 children in Pennsylvania have lost their Medicaid coverage, including many with life-threatening illnesses who were mistakenly deemed ineligible. The state currently hasn’t a clue whether many of these children have any healthcare coverage at all.
How did this happen?
In late summer, the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare (DPW) began notifying hundreds of thousands of families by mail that they had ten days to provide necessary documentation in order to keep their children enrolled in Medicaid. If the family missed the deadline—or even if they met it but DPW failed to process the paperwork within the ten days—they were dropped from Medicaid.
Federal law indeed requires that families prove their Medicaid eligibility annually. Pennsylvania requires verification every six months. During the previous administration, under Democratic Governor Ed Rendell, caseloads grew as a result of the recession, while county assistance offices were shorthanded due to budget cuts. Caseworkers simply couldn’t keep pace with the workload and there was a backlog of renewal applications.
Enter Republican Governor Tom Corbett and his anti-spending, anti-government secretary of public welfare, Gary Alexander. They decided to plow ahead with their new approach to eligibility verification: ten days to receive and process the overdue renewals, and an assumption of ineligibility if the applications weren’t reviewed during that time period.
Predictably, the offices couldn’t keep up with the new deluge of mail. It doesn’t seem a stretch to suggest that a Republican administration—hostile to Medicaid—had identified a weakness in the system, exploited it, so that it could reduce spending while bolstering its claim that the system is broken… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <The Nation>
In short, this is a premeditated plot to deny benefits to kids they knew were eligible. This crime is on the same scale as when the Arizona Death Angel, Jan Brewer, caused patients deaths by kicking them off Medicaid, after life saving organ transplants were already scheduled, to fund tax cuts for the rich.
Every penny Democrats spend caring for the sick is a penny
Republicans can’t give to a billionaire!
17 Responses to “Republicans Kick 89,000 Kids Off Medicaid”
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It is a symptom of an uncaring GOP , where money and numbers count ; people do not-
Bingo!
Even worse than when my friend's son had to reapply for benefits. Why? He was on SSI and turned 18. The boy had rather severe Down Syndrome.
reapplication has been the rule for as long as I can remember– its nothing new- should be a rather simple process–but sometimes isnt- ; Blue with your friends son's diagnosis– should not have been a problem ?
Such injustices are common. Getting SSDI took me over three years. When it finally reached a judge, he waived the hearing saying my case was so obvious that it should never have been denied.
"Federal law indeed requires that families prove their Medicaid eligibility annually. Pennsylvania requires verification every six months."
Florida isn't any better with Medicare Thief at the helm, it's very distressing…
I headr that!
Shades of things to come.
The Supreme Court did find that States can opt out, and two Gov's already said they would (Jindahl, Perry)
Like an addiction, I fear we will have to hit rock bottom, before we change our behavior.
Steve, it's not quite the same. SCOTUS ruled states can opt out of the Medicaid expansion.
To me, there is something suspiciously wrong when a government says "ten days to receive and process the overdue renewals, and an assumption of ineligibility if the applications weren’t reviewed during that time period.". Even the worst felons have more rights that that — presumed innocence until proven guilty.
Knowing that there was already a backlog, and knowing that the public sector workforce had been gutted for apparent budget reasons (slash people, not the tax cuts to the 1%), the Pennsylvania government has committed fraud against the people of Pennsylvania by knowingly setting up conditions that it knows can't be met. This is a heinous act by soulless individuals. How these people can claim to be Christian, go to church every Sunday, yet still promulgate this non charitable act is beyond me.
Excellent analysis!
It sounds to me that the Pennsylvania state government achieved exactly what it wanted. Reduction in costs, no matter whom it harmed!
You understand perfectly!
Can't believe what's happening in USA at the moment – From the distance of Europe, we are horrified at the reactionary attitudes in some politicians in US
Welcome Rena! 🙂
I can only hope that we can make the Republican Party go the way of the Whig Party, and join the civilized folk on your side of the pond.
There is nothing you could have posted, Tom, that would be more damning to their side than this.
Angie, I'm sad to say that they will provide something shortly.