Rachel Maddow: Recent Stringent Requirments for Medicaid!

[bobbolink]

Maddow is to report on the recent requirement of having original Birth Certificate or Passport in order to receive Medicaid!

I'm convinced this is a sneaky way to cut off more people. I know from experience that other hard-to-get documents are also being required now for benefits.

Are there any lawyers here on D.U. helping clients with these issues?

Please listen to her next show! This issue desparately needs our action!

There will be more deaths from this move, and we need lots of people to write, call and in general, RAISE HOLY HELL!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1553049

[BrklynLiberal]

1. I heard her discussing this. It is terrible news, and took effect 7/1/06

Of course it will affect the poorest..those who could not afford proper medical care, or were not allowed into a hospital due to Jim Crow laws. Therefore they do not have an "original birth certificate".
It is an obvious attempt to deny the neediest the health care they need.
There are states where it is not necessary to be a citizen to get that state's version of Medicaid, but this is allowing the Federal govt to overrule the state govts in this matter.

What the hell happened to states' rights? It is only used as a rallying point when it plays into the hands of the Neocons.

Mext on the agenda will be the requirement to present these documents at the voting booth.

[bobbolink]

2. When was she discussing this? I can't find more about it.....

Rachel Maddow isn't on the local AAR station --aaarrggghhh!

I'd appreciate anything else you have on this.

Thanks! :hi:

[Divine Discontent]

3. not sure fully

how I feel about this turn of events on that, however, I can understand why you believe it's wrong, but why I posted - the states rights issue you brought up is exactly what they're using to try and pass the 'we the people' act, so they can't have it both ways....



www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable <<<--- check it out!

[salvorhardin]

4. You've got it a little bit wrong

The NY Times wrote about this a while ago.

But the guidelines include a significant ambiguity: "An individual who is already enrolled in Medicaid will remain eligible if he or she showed a good-faith effort to present satisfactory evidence of citizenship and identity, even if this effort takes longer than 45 days." The administration says that "beneficiaries will not lose benefits as long as they are undertaking a good-faith effort to provide documentation."

States have a strong incentive to enforce the requirements. If they fail to do so, they can lose federal Medicaid money.

The guidelines say states should help people document citizenship, especially if they are homeless, mentally impaired or physically incapacitated and have no one to act on their behalf.

The guidelines list four categories of documents that can be used as evidence of citizenship, from the most reliable to the least trustworthy. The best evidence, they say, is a United States passport or a certificate of naturalization. The next category includes state and local birth certificates and State Department documents issued to children born abroad to United States citizens.

The third category consists of nongovernment documents showing place of birth. These include medical records from doctors, hospitals and clinics; nursing home admission papers; and records from life and health insurance companies.

The fourth category includes affidavits, which can be used "only in rare circumstances when the state is unable to secure evidence of citizenship" from other sources.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/05/washington/05medicaid.html?ei=5088&en=726c5cd163482d83&ex=1307160000&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

But yes, this is a significant change and it could adversely affect thousands of people.

[DainBramaged]

5. I was told when I got my new license

if you don't have a birth certificate, call the hospital where you were born.

When I asked "what happens if the hospital is no longer there" the moron at the counter's head exploded and she called the State Trooper over to "talk" to me.

I said to him the same sentence, and he asked her why she couldn't answer my question.
She slammed the privacy shutter and that was that. We both laughed a bit and I left.

Seems like it is going to be a BIG problem, but like small tax returns for the little people on forever delay, just another way of this fucking mis-Administration figuring out a new way to fuck the little guy.

[salvorhardin]

6. Wow. I'm pretty sure that's not legal.

Denying you service like that I mean. How did you go about getting your new license -- drivers' license I presume?

[DainBramaged]

7. My Mother 88 years old still had my birth certificate

Thank goodness or I'd be a no home walking the dog snakes on a plane muther fucker.

[bobbolink]

9. Having personally been dealing with this, I can assure you

that all the "good faith efforts" only count with those staff who still have a bit of heart left.

It's left up to their discretion, so they can drag it out until the recipient is dead.

[BrklynLiberal]

11. The NY Times was wrong..a while ago. Here is the current state of affairs

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1553049&mesg_id=1553213

[Auntie Bush]

8. You can be sure all those with no BC are ALL Dems.

These people make me sick!!!!!!!! :puke:

[bobbolink]

10. Could some of you please give Recommends to the post on GD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1553049&mesg_id=1553049

This is something that needs to get attention from Dems, so I'd appreciate it if you could add a K&R to that thread.

Thanks much!