It is outrageous that all Medicare patients are helping subsidize overpayments to private insurance companies while only one in five Medicare patients participates in a private Medicare plan," said American Medical Association Board of Trustees Chair Edward L. Langston, MD. "Medicare patients' premiums are rising, yet the government is cutting payments to the doctors who care for them, which will make it harder for seniors to see the doctor.
"Many people have the mistaken notion that such a low Medicare premium increase is good news for seniors, but they forget that it's been rising five times faster than their Social Security checks," said Shannon Benton, executive director of the Senior Citizens League. "Medical expenses alone are leaving seniors to fend for themselves with all other rising costs."
"Increases in Medicare premiums are the result of overpayments to the insurance companies that are trying to privatize Medicare," said House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair John Dingell (D, Mich.). "These increases do not go unnoticed by seniors."
Why do I have the feeling that as long as the health insurance industry continues to contribute to all political campaigns, these things will continue to go on! The health insurance industry is paying to protect their interests and the politician's war chests are getting fatter. In the meantime, the average person gets royally screwed. No matter what party they belong to, a politician's first and only interest is for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI tell you there is no free lunch!! I feel that to privitize SS and Medicare would be the best thing that could happen for future generations of our children, but no one wants to take the bull by the horns and get it done,which is very sad. I tired of all the Doctors and politians not wanting to step to the plate on this problem.
ReplyDeleteIt is time we stop paying for all the illegals to come in and breed while we suffer the costs both thru our medicare and taxes. Until we ban together and voice our concerns we will continue to be the ones who pay thru the noses.
ReplyDeleteI agree on the illegals but as to privitizing SS & Medicare, you've got to be nuts. Do you really want your retirement check to depend on the stock market? What we need to do is take away the free medical care from the politicians and put them on an hourly wage with a time clock the way most of us worked our whole lives and see how much they like it and what would get changed. Pay back into SS all the money they have taken out of it. We have to pay back our loans, why don't they. Cut out pensions for the president & vice president. Do you collect a life time pension when you've only worked at a job for 4 years? Do away with their security detail once they leave office. They aren't the president or vice president any longer. There is alot of other things that could be done but my space is short.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Davis
Cut the waste. Medicare should not pay for Viagra, more than three Chiropractor visits, nor pay for therapies that people should do on their own. Illegals, pay only for the workers who hve legitimate jobs and green cards. We need the workers but not their families.
ReplyDeleteThere is another thing I forgot to mention. When a person dies and their check has to be returned to SS, that money does not go back into the SS fund. It goes into the General fund and then SS reissues a check for that month to the survivor if there is one. Why doesn't that check go back into SS instead of the General Fund.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Davis
My husband and I found ourselves "privatized" without realizing what had happened. To get Part D with our (Blue Cross) supplemental plan in effect and then apparently LOWER insurance costs, we went for that, only to find we are no longer part of Medicare. My husband recently had a heart attack and his costs seem to be being paid pretty well, but I don't even know how to check this against what Medicare would have paid. We're nearly to the 11/15-12/30 time period for changing back, and I don't even know how to evauate it! Frustration! -Xan
ReplyDeleteAARP has totally lost its credibility over its support of the drug bill.
ReplyDeleteMy Medicare Part D Premium is going up $34.00 per month for 2008. It increased for '07. In addition to the premium, the cost of medicines increased also. What are the American people going to do if this keep happening each year (and it will if someone doesn't do something to stop it). Our Government is allowing this to happen. It thought the Part D was supposed to help the elderly instead of hurt them. I know for a fact that pharmaceutical companies purchase lunch every day for doctor's office employees and some hospital staff. This has to cost a bundle of money each day since the nicest of restaurants are selected for the food to be ordered from. I intend to speak to my Congressman regarding the Part D situation soon.
ReplyDeletePart D is the biggest rip off I've ever seen. I will be starting Medicare on 1/1/08. I have spent alot of time looking at things and found that the best way to go is Original Medicare with a medigap policy. This will cover everything medical that I have done. What really ticks me off is Part D. You pay a monthly premium whether you need it or not because if you don't sign up for Part d right away you are penalized for each month that you were qualified. Then you have your yearly deductable, more money for the ins. co. then you have your co-pay's after that. Then you have the coverage gap where you still pay the monthly premium but basically have no coverage. who in their right mind would have ever approved and Prescription Plan like this. AARP, I am truly dissappointed in you for backing this. I thought you were supposed to fight for us, not bankrupt us.
ReplyDeleteI am sick and tired of the cost of all medical. Why don't we go for cuting the medical costs including hospitals, doctors, prescriptions, and especially the insurance companies, etc. I should take the drug bonevia and my cost would be $60.00 for 1 pill. No pill is worth that much. Why can we go to Mexico, Canada and get pills for half that do the same job and are gotten from the same places. Our insurance companies set the prices for all of us and we all lose.
ReplyDeleteWe would all be able to afford medical costs if it were not for the AARP's support years ago to tax our SS benefits, effectively taxing us on the same earnings twice.
ReplyDeleteBig Government run anything ends up costing more and providing fewer services. AARP should get behind plans to give some of our tax dollars back to seniors in direct vochers or income tax credits. With this individuals could choose to purchase a plan best for their individual needs, and competition between private plans would drive the cost down.
ReplyDeleteWe are now going into the third year with Medicare D and each year the costs for monthly premiums and Tier drugs keeps rising. The increase for 2008 is the biggest rise yet in monthly premium . Also a drug such as Tropol XL is going from Tier 2 to Tier 3 with a huge jump in price. Those who can't take the new generic replacement for Toprol will find it a lot easier to reach the donut hole if costs keep up such as this. Medicare D is a boondoggle for the insurance and drug companies, make no mistake about that, and will get worse if in addition to making comments on blogs such as this we do not take the time to contact our representatives in Washington whos personal medical benefits we can only dream about. This is just another example of the fact that if more citizens do not get involved in their government and what is going on, it will just get worse. Wake up people. If things keep up as is we will reach the point of no return and then who will you complain to. Get involved, not to get a free ride but a fair ride, not only for seniors but for the doctors that treat them who are getting less and less for serviceing seniors. It is possible to get to a point with doctors that Medicare patients may start being turned away for treatment. Wake up, write letters, make noise, get involved.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has a problem with the high cost of insurance then why not cut them out all together...i for one am sick to death of all the commercials for insuance companies...that hits us directly...look at the profits these people are making...cut them out all the way...call it what you want to but cut them out...its simple...get rid of them pay the doctors what they are worth...cut the insurance companies out....period..if it was not profitable why do we have so many insurance companies...why is it mandatory to have house insurance, car insurance, health insurance, burrial insurance..and on and on...stop letting these megga corporations run the price of things off the charts...cut out the government subsidies...get rid of the general fund...make the congress and the house have to live under the same rules they impose on us...stop complaining about it and and do something...march on the sorry mess they call our government and tell them to fix it now....after all this is the generation who protested a war and it went away...lets try that with the do-nothing government that is inside the beltway...i for one would grease up my walker and be there in a heart beat...
ReplyDeletepeople don't want to privatize social security or medicare... yet my 401k pays me more than social security.... and my medicare payments are equal to my previous private medical plan; with no dental, drug or vision coverage. Part D is a fraud, only adding to med costs. I won't do part D.
ReplyDeleteWe need to streamline medical services; ie $125 to see a doctor for 10 minutes, $50,000 for a stent... this is ridiculous.
I also agree on the illegals. It won't stop until Bush is out of office. Hillary has a better plan, she would give them $5000 for each illegal kid, free medical care ,a drivers license, free education complete with free lunch's.
ReplyDeleteThank you AARP for your support in taxing our SS benefits. This will help the illegals so much.
Say, what would happen if every employer of an illegal was billed for thier medical cost ?
Mark
Converse TX
As long as we allow all of the illegals and the low income people to get FREE medical at emergency rooms with their (OUR) gov't medical cards, the system will certainly go broke unless they raise our medicare premiums! We are supporting way more than ourselves,you know.
ReplyDeleteIts simple.
ReplyDeleteAll you selfish bastards stay home during elections
So us progressives can include everyone in the American dream.
Or....just continue to grab your ankles while Muffy and Chads parents laugh all the way to their off shore banks.
The only way for our country to truly have the best medical system in the world is for everyone to be covered, to be affordable, and to have transparent pricing.
ReplyDeleteApathy selfishness and cowardice are the reasons we are facing this crisis.
ReplyDeleteIf we would just pick up the phone once a day to each of our respective representives. We wouldn't have to worry about them taking bribes from the scum sucking leaches in the medical business
I don't trust money grubbing aarp.
ReplyDeleteI find aarp and William D. Novelli
to be hypocrites.Novelli worked with and wrote the chapter in newt gingriches book on how to destroy MEDICARE and leave it withering on the vine.Novelli screwed and betrayed all baby boomers and seniors by backing Part "D"(dog) of medicare and helping get it passed. He has joined forces with tauzan and united health care to rip off seniors and medicare.
They should be put on trail for thier betrayal of seniors for profits.
Sounds like more wealth redistribution in that AARP thinks insurance companies and doctors should be working for free. If you want to reduce the cost of medicine, you must cap litigation awards to reduce the cost of malpractice insurance for physicians. To ensure future medicare and social security, allow the private accounts and have people invest in their own retirement. If investing in the stock market is so risky, why does AARP keep sending me unsolicited info about AARP investment plans. Come to think of it, AARP sends me a lot of stuff about health insurance too. Why would they want to short-change them with reduced payments?
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about the petition AARP wanted me to sign. Why do they assume I agree with them? Why isn't there a petition to sign that says I disagree with AARP?
ReplyDeleteWill the beaucracy ever stop in this country??.........So many empty and true meaning promises every election.........our country has been in a steady spiral downward for a very long time regarding our health care. It's obvious where the political priorities are and forget believing any of their platform promises............have yet to see any candidate that fulfilled his/her words while trying to get the highest amount of campaign money...........disgusting!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Administration is making Medicare useless to the seniors who have paid into Social Security
ReplyDeleteall their lives. The costs now are more than we can afford on the meager Social Security checks we receive, and being forced to accept that fool Bush's Part D supplement for drugs, has cost us more than we have ever paid in history. I used to pay Kaiser for Senior Advantage drugs, $10.00 for a prescription. Now I can up up to $100.00! Who can afford that, and food and housing also. We have been BETRAYED! Bush and his entire administration care not a whiff for us or our problems. He's got bombs to kill people on his most important agenda.
On 26 Oct Anonymous said...I tell you there is no free lunch!! I feel that to privitize SS and Medicare would be the best thing that could happen...Yes there is a free lunch, the 1 out of 5 participating in ghe privite Medicare Ins are getting free lunch paid for by the 4 out of 5 getting taken to the cleaners. If you think it is such a good thing then pick up the tab for your own insurance currently subsidized by 4 out of 5 participants.
ReplyDeleteUNTIL EVERYBODY REALIZES THAT WE PAY FOR THE UNINSURED AND US ALL THE TIME AND GET A SINGLE PAYER SYSTEM THAT COVERS EVERYONE WE WILL CONTINUE TO PAY HIGH PREMIUMS. THE UNINSURED DO NOT TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AT FIRST COUGH ONLY GOING TO EMERGENCY ROOM AS A LAST RESORT. MEANWHILE THEY ARE SPREADING THEIR GERMS TO PEOPLE WHO WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MADE SICK IF THEY HAD GONE TO A DOCTOR EARLY. THAT DRIVES UP COSTS. ONE MORE THING IT COST 3 PER CENT TO TAKE OF MEDICARE AND OVER 25 PER CENT TO PAY FOR THE PRIVATE INSURANCE OPERATIONS
ReplyDeleteI've worked in the insurance industry for 40 years. I know that if there were no insurance lobby that things would be better. The industry no longer trains people as they used to because they don't care if their employees know what they are doing. They could build in efficiences but why bother unless it means more of a profit for them. Frankly, I'm sick and tired of hearing my MD's tell me they aren't getting rich, the nurses telling me they don't make enough money and hospitals telling us all that they lose millions every year. Hell, someone's making the money and that's why no one wants things to change except us poor working slobs that have to foot the bill one way or the other.
ReplyDeleteI still think we should just quit being politically correct and just start one by one demanding Congress and the President pay us back for all of the loans they have taken from SS.
ReplyDeleteWe wouldn't be discussing any of this if that were to happen.
Bush needs to have his credit card taken away for Iraq. We need to bring our honorable troops home. Every Congressperson and Representative who doesn't get with the program needs to be lobbied against in each state and we need to get down to serious business.
Enough of the polite politics. It has cost us money and the people who work for us come and go as they want, while voting themselves raises and buying stock in 3rd world countries where the jobs are being outsourced. Hello everybody!!! Our company is going bankrupt people.
Lets quit complaining and really do something beside piddle around. We need to say "NO" to it all. Demonstrations should be set up in all of the states.
What I upset about is that in January 2008 all members of congress will each get a $4,400 raise. They don't pay social security and don't have to worry about medicare. I don't hear any complaints or upraising about this in Washington or on any news media. Don Jonak
ReplyDeleteSo Don, and you other people, what shall we do?
ReplyDeleteShirley
I think it is time everone in congress and the senate should be be required to fall into the Medicare Program as a priority for SERVING OUR PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAM.
ReplyDeleteWould that help keep our program in balance or would they continue to serve only themselves.
I agree with the last anonymous comment about Congress and Medicare. What else should we demand? and how should we do it?
ReplyDeleteShirley
Every doctor's visit I have, I have to get their billing issues straight at Humana. They have my doctor by both her maiden and married and it takes 3 months to get the bill paid properly. Meanwhile the doctoR'S office sends me notice that charges will be sent to collections if I don't pay! I have had more trouble with Humana's insurance and Medicare than anyother insurance I have had in 20 yrs - their customer service is TERRIBLE. Now I wonder if it is in India!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks to everyone for all the comments and concerns here, I read all of them too. Let's hope the MDs compensation doesn't get cut as it set to do after the 1st of the year too as it will become even more difficult to find one who will take Medicare. The whole problem with the system is just getting the bill paid it seems no matter what plan you have. The only pool that I could even imagine that would be large enough to cover all would be a single pay, supported by sales tax as that would get contributions from everyone, but that is only a thought of my own. I too have a mother that is 83 and is faced with some of the very same issues..health care should be just that and not red tape and the confusion today of all the various plans to choose from as well.
ReplyDeleteYes; it is a said situation when a government is bought by big business monies.
ReplyDeleteWe all need to speak out and change this government to be run "by the people, and for the people."
Not by political interests groups and big business money.
The point is:
ReplyDeleteWe ALL need to be sending messages to our Congress people and Representatives. For those of you who don't know how, Congress.org is a good place to start. Its free to join and it tells you who your people in Washington are. It tells you how they vote on each issue and about all up coming issues and provides you links to send them ALL, including the President, how you think they should vote. When they tell you how they vote, you can also send an email through a link provided on what you thought of how they voted. My Senators and Representatives have also emailed and called me. We do not see eye to eye on a lot of things. LOL
When this stops being a government by the people for the corporations, maybe we'll see some change that benefits the people. We've had too many years of government only interested in welfare, corporate welfare! Why do we have to subsidize a company that makes a 10 BILLION dollar profit in a single 3 month period? Fine if you can make that much money, but no way should we haver to subsidize the hunt for more waus to overcharge us!
ReplyDeleteAs Long as we Have George W. Bush in the White House we will never see anything good happen for anyonewho is working middle class, or a Senior or poor. All George W. Bush is interested in is helping his rich buddies like the Oil Companies, and the Insurance Companies, And the rest of those rich CEO's.
ReplyDeleteIf AARP hadn't sold the trust of we seniors out to the Bush administration, we would not be in this mess. Look around at the rest of the advanced world. It is obvious that until we have universal health care, and until AARP realizes that this was not the way to go and advocates against the continuation of this approach (maybe admitting that it made a mistake), there will be more of the same pain, disappointment, stress, fear and frustration that we already see.
ReplyDeleteAARP backed the Pharmaceutical Industry and betrayed Seniors with the Medicare-D(for dumb) plan. That is when I canceled my membership.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the government helping us, always remember the words of Ronald Reagan talking about the scariest words a person could ever hear. I'm from the government and I'm here to help you.
ReplyDeleteDo you all remember that Social Security was supposed to be a short term policy not the tragedy it is today!
do these blogs carry any waight?? anyway...here goes: doesn't 85% of the polity read or understand ANYTHING!? DEMOCRACY & ECONOMIC CAPITALISM ARE antithetical. as a grad historiographer/sociologist analyst the USA is sliding into the abyss! aarp is helping the wrong side! no more compromise...
ReplyDeletesingle pay universal health insurance is the only way as for the other social issue programs...end BUSH'S WAR and pay
for education $75-100K(teachers pay),at least 4wks pd vacation, and pension/ss w/COLAS so retirees
can stop being stressed and enjoy what's left of our lives. we earned as much... if our children have to add to the "NUT" so be it!
they have to have some responsibility for their parents who cared for them an so on...
STOP "PUSSYFOOTING" AROUND and take the country back.
As a Medicare Advantage policyholder, I must protest this attempt to fund higher doctor payments on my back. AARP supported this mess and is hypocritical in backing out now. PPO and HMO networks provide excellent care, in my experience, and should be an integral part of Medicare.
ReplyDeleteI live in a farming community we have more illegals living here than legals the USDA gives them reduced housing, food stamps ,and welfare cards for free food. We as americans can not get the same treatment in mexico. They are also popping out children at a tremendous rate we foot the bill. Gongress has free medical,and retirement benefits just like Bush .If the politicans had to pay there own way or be forced to be on medicare part d they would change things. We are fighting a war because Bush wanted to not because the people of the united states did. Bush and countries like Mexico walk hand and hand we need to kick both in the as# and get rid of them
ReplyDeleteYou know... the only good thing I've seen yet in my membership to AARP is today, the first day I ever logged on to chat, and met my fellow Americans.
ReplyDeleteI thought I was alone in my disgust for AARP. What have they turned into... the same lobbying monstrosity they are railing about regarding the insurance companies.
For crying out loud. With the number of members we could start our own insurance company and do better than the 'discounts' alleged in the AARP mailings. Pft!
As to Barbara's comment, you'll probably never see this but here goes... I love your attitude. The illegal aliens, amnesty and entire mess that has followed them here is raping our country. Not a single top tier Republican has a decent voting record on the subject (not too surprising really). And we all know the Democrats are doing nothing but buying the Mexican vote with aid and entitlements.
WHy on EARTH is AARP lobbying for SCHIP! Now THAT was stupidity if I've EVER seen it! For crying out loud (have I already used that expression?) I joined this group to get help for me and my husband and to support us folks growing past the point where our kids care about us anymore. Why, why has AARP spent our hard earned/saved dollars on campaigning for socialist programs for children (legal and illegal)???
Can someone please help me understand this association. Frankly, was about ready to drop out but hoped there would be some redemptive reason for staying. Perhaps this moment, reading how so very many of us feel the same way, now is my little ray of hope.
Someone else on this thread asked why AARP survey or email to congress assumes we're all going to agree... I love that comment! ;-) I used one of those things, took out all the generic text and wrote my own message to congress to stop spending! hahahahaha
Maybe the cost of membership is worth it just to chat with like-minded individuals.
Frustrated,
Fiesty Old Woman
As I read these comments I think how selfish we older people are. Yes, payments to private insurance companies should be cut to the average cost of care..but the big problem is the excess use of costly operations that are not effective. We cannot live forever and we should do all we can to live healthy lifestyles.
ReplyDeleteFor some clues about why hospital care is so expensive, check out this blog!
ReplyDeletehttp://wherethemoneygoes.com/
I appreciate everyone's thoughts here and be sure to check back and see if anything I post might be of use too to keep updated on the latest. It may not be good news, but it is news and something to be aware of at least. I don't care for the dollar being in front of good health care either and it does not appear to be getting any better in my opinion. Just as information, there are many readers on this blog from all walks of life and in the health care business, so your comments are not in vain by any means. Health Care should have some type of regulation as I consider it a utility of sorts, just like we all need gas, heat, and water to survive, and health care is even above those 3 items. If private industry ran a little cleaner ship without all the distrust and focus on dividends instead of human lives we would all be further ahead. Please come back and visit and feel free to comment anywhere on this blog too. I do hope the site offers some helpful information for all, as that's kind of what I do this for too. Things are moving so fast so if I can at least fore warn of any issues I am aware of, then something has been accomplished here.
ReplyDeleteIt is pathetic that Congress should increase their health coverage at the expense, not only of the elderly but, of every insured person in America. Reimbursement by insurance companies is predicated on Medicare rates. Doctor's expenses rise each year but reimbursement lessens. CONGRESS DOES NOTHING TO LOWER THE COSTS OF PHYSICIANS. Health care, that used to be the best in the world, is rapidly becoming the worst because doctors are retiring, not necessarily to stop working, but to find a better job.
ReplyDeleteI am not eligible for Medicare yet, but I will be next year. And when I do become eligible I will not be blaming Bush, the insurance companies, big business, Billy Tauzian, and other fat cats for any problems that I encounter with Medicare. I will instead place the blame where it belong. And that at the feet of all these whining commentators to this article who voted for Bush (the crook) the 2nd time. They ignored all warnings that this man was evil. Now they have what they deserve. As a last resort, I suggest they look to Lou Dobbs on CNN for answers. And join a movement to impeach Bush, Pelosi, and Reid for starters.
ReplyDeleteLooks like we have quite a few that need to move to Canada or England to get the really good care they deserve.
ReplyDeleteWhile you are at it, take the Congresmen from the 90's that voted to tax (i.e. double taxation)our senior's Social Security. Look up who those heroic individuals were and where the are residing now.
We have the answer. Vote for Hillary! She has the answers to all of our Medicare, problems in this country.
ReplyDeleteShe will give it to us "free" legal or illgal. Better days are comming for us older folks.
I have one question ! What is her plan to pay back all the money her husband stole from our SS fund ?
I no longer listen to the excuses of legislators that plead no money or
ReplyDeleteother issues like NC tobacco farmers
needing $$. President W has got this country into the greatest debt ever.
Carter and Clinton both had budgets in the black. Reagan had the worst deficit of all presidents until W came around. Now he is trying to get us into more wars and greater debt.
These messes he gets us into could pay for Medicare and Medicaid for many decades to come. The interest alone for many decades will be over 8 billion or more. There were many hidden agendas to the war and unforseen cost. Another mistake like Vietnam and Korea. Lets stay home and take care of true concerns like a balanced budget, fund forever SS, Medicaid, Medicare and medical research that finds low cost cures. And never ever elect a wealth, self-center Republican again. The majority of americans voted for Gore and W got in by fixing the ballad boxes. A man of honor would have withdraw from the race when he saw he did NOT win the popular vote. American never make another mistake. Learn!!!! Daddy Bush was an honorable man and did no harm to America. He knew when to hold and fold them. He was the only Republican Non-mistake.
Jim let us vote more wisely!!
The "private" health insurance is a mess!!! Why the "donut" hole??
ReplyDeletePrivate profits.
SS and Medicare are the most efficient and least costly of all insurance programs. There is NO PROFIT motive. The WAR is more costly
than SS or Medicare or Medicaid for children. The Republican mind is selfish and self center for profit.
The make wars to make more $$$$.
The are no excuses for the funding of SSI, Medicare (the most cost effective insurance in American, a very frugal German read it and told me). Please stop the blind mentality that supports Republican excuses. If it was not for the red neck gun people and the narrow minded religious hippocrites the Republicans would never get elected. There are not enough KKK and Nazis to elect them.
Please America, no more stupid blind votes!!!
I just posted some information today about record profits from Humana...and they make all the money from Medicare as the article states their commercial program doesn't cut it...you can read more here...
ReplyDeletehttp://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/10/humana-net-rises-90-medicare-business.html
If the link doesn't go through, copy and paste the address into your browser or go to the main page and search for Humana and you'll find the article.
AARP and Hllary wants our support for CHIPS. No way.
ReplyDeleteThis is another reason why Medicare takes a back seat to help the children.
This is just unbelievable, isn't it?
Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas is a fairly famous institution and for a variety of reasons:
1. John F. Kennedy died there in 1963
2. Lee Harvey Oswald died there shortly after
3. Jack Ruby-who killed Lee Harvey Oswald, died there a few years later..by coincidence
"On the flip side, Parkland is also home to the second busiest maternity ward in the country with almost 16,000 new babies arriving each year. (That's almost 44 per day---every day)
A recent patient survey indicated that 70 percent of the women who gave birth at Parkland in the first three months of 2006 were illegal immigrants. That's 11,200 anchor babies born every year just in Dallas
According to the article, the hospital spent $70.7 million delivering 15,938 babies in 2004 but managed! to end up with almost $8 million dollars in surplus funding. Medicaid kicked in $34.5 million, Dallas County taxpayers kicked in $31.3 million and the feds tossed in another $9.5 million.
The average patient in Parkland is maternity wards is 25 years old, married and giving birth to her second child. She is also an illegal immigrant. By law, pregnant women cannot be denied medical care based on their immigration status or ability to pay.
OK, fine. That doesn't mean they should receive better care than everyday, middle-class American citizens. But at ParklandHospital , they do. " Parkland Memorial Hospital has nine prenatal clinics. NINE.
The Dallas Morning News article followed a Hispanic woman who was a patient at one of the clinics and pregnant with her third child---her previous two were also born at Parkland . Her first two deliveries were free and the Mexican native was grateful because it would have cost$200 to have them in Mexico This time, the hospital wants her to pay $10 per visit and $100 for the delivery but she was unsure if she could come up with the money. Not that it matters, the hospital won't turn her away. (I wonder why they even bother asking at this point.)
"How long has this been going! on? Wha t are the long-term affects?
Well, another subject of the article was born at Parkland in 1986 shortly after her mother entered the US illegally - now she is having her own child there as well. (That's right, she's technically a US citizen.)
These women receive free prenatal care including medication, nutrition, birthing classes and child care classes. They also get freebies such as car seats, bottles, diapers and formula.
Most of these things are available to American citizens as well but only for low-income applicants and even then, the red tape involved is almost insurmountable.
Because these women are illegal immigrants, they do not have to provide any sort of legitimate identification - no proof of income. An American citizen would have to provide a social security number which would reveal their annual income - an illegal immigrant need only claim to be poor and the hospital must take them at their word.
ParklandHospital offers indigent care to Dallas County residents who earn less than $40,000 per year. (They also have to prove that they did not refuse health coverage at their current job. Yeah, the 'free' care is not so easy for Americans.)
There are about 140 patients who received roughly $4 million dollars for un-reimbursed medical care. As it turns out, they did not qualify for free treatment because they resided outside of Dallas County so the hospital is going to sue them! Illegals get it all free! But U. S citizens who live outside of Dallas County get sued! How stupid is this?
As if that isn't annoying enough, the illegal immigrant patients are actually complaining about hospital staff not speaking Spanish. In this AP story, the author speaks with a woman who is upset that she had to translate comments from the hospital staff into Spanish for her husband. The doctor was trying to explain the situation to the family and the mother was forced to translate for her husband who only spoke Spanish. This was apparently a great injustice to her.
In an attempt to create a Spanish-speaking staff, Parkland Hospital is now providing incentives in the form of extra pay for applicants who speak Spanish. Additionally, medical students at the University of Texas Southwestern for which Parkland Hospital is the training facility will now have a Spanish language requirement added to their already jammed-packed curriculum. No other school in the country boasts such a ridiculous multi-semester (multicultural) requirement.
( Sorry for the length, but this needs wide circulation particularly to our"employees" in Congress.)
R emember that this is only ONE hospital is Dallas , Texas . There are many more hospitals across our country that also have to! dea! l with t his.
PLEASE SEND THIS TO EVERY U.S. CITIZEN YOU KNOW.
If you want to verify accuracy:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/parkland.asp
Theodore Roosevelt's ideas on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN in 1907.
ReplyDelete"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907
Every American citizen needs to read this!