Falling Between the Cracks

[Lyric]

Although LyricKid and I both receive Medicaid (at least for now,) my domestic partner Rhythm is uninsured. Because we are a same-sex couple and our son is my biological child, she is legally considered a single person with no dependents, and as such, will probably not receive much of a subsidy. She certainly won't receive enough of a subsidy for us to be able to afford health insurance for her, considering that whether the law recognizes it or not, every cent of her minimum-wage income is needed to support a child and a family. The money to buy her health insurance simply does not exist. Therefore, when the time comes, she will face consequences. I don't know what will happen. A fine that we can't afford any more than we can afford insurance? And when we can't pay that either, what then? Prison? Subsidies aren't an answer for everyone, not when they're based on a tax return that, thanks to our second-class status, doesn't even come close to reflecting the reality of our family's financial situation. Even the highest subsidy amount available to a single person with no legal dependents would leave her owing far more than we can afford.

I'm glad that some of you will get help from this bill. I'm glad that some of your families will benefit. But ours could be destroyed. There is no doubt that unmarried couples with children face a serious dilemma under the terms of this bill, because there is no provision made for people who are legally "single" and yet have the financial burdens of a marriage with children. The straight couples will at least have the *option* of getting married, which will legitimize the financial burden carried by both parents and provide for a larger subsidy. But gay and lesbian couples with kids? Regardless of the ugly stereotype that seems to pervade the discussion about our community, we are NOT all rich white male DINKs. Those of us living in poverty with children are left to twist helplessly in the wind.

Unless there is a change during reconciliation that directly addresses the financial burdens of couples with children who either are not married, or can't GET married, and whose actual financial burdens are FAR heavier than their tax returns suggest, then this bill is going to destroy low-income families like mine across the board. Since LyricKid is my biological child, *I* can get Medicaid for me and him. But Rhythm cannot. To the law, she is nothing more than a "roommate." To the IRS, she has zero financial obligations beyond supporting herself alone. Both of those things are not the least bit true, but it won't matter. The law hates families like ours, and the law refuses to see Rhythm as anything but a single person with no dependents. Our situation is a bleak one with few choices, and all of them spell disaster. My little boy is going to suffer no matter what we do. And if there's jail time for failing to pay the fine, then his family is going to be torn apart and thrust into even deeper poverty than ever.

So yes, celebrate for those who will be helped. I really am glad that someone with MS can now get insurance without fear of being shut out due to a pre-existing condition. My older sister has cerebral palsy and my mom is a cancer survivor with heart disease--believe me, I understand how important that is. However, while you're celebrating, please take the time to mourn for families like mine. If Rhythm's wages are garnished to pay a fine or if she's sent off to jail, it won't just be a disaster to our family. It will be the end of it. There is no way that we can financially survive either the premiums for Rhythm or the fine/jail time if we don't pay.

Forgive me for the downer. But right now...we are terrified.

[DemBones DemBones]

1. I'm not convinced that the final bill will

stop companies from excluding preexisting conditions, mostly because I don't see the insurance companies going along with that. Based on personal experience, I find it hard to believe that they'll take on just any preexisting condition, anyway. They'd rather take on cancer patients, who likely won't live long (cost much) if their cancer recurs, than those with chronic autoimmune diseases, who may be very sick for a very long time, thereby costing a lot. I can't get long-term health care insurance at any price.

Can they really offset their "losses" on accepting preexisting conditions by requiring everyone to buy insurance and fining them if they don't? You can't get blood from a turnip, and you are not the only turnips out there! Are we going to go back to debtors' prisons? Or will they garnishee your minimum wages?

I'm sure they want to raise premiums, too, and BigPharm wants to jack up prices, so I fear that what we're paying now for premiums and medications, which is a lot, is going to go up a lot. I think we're all going to be screwed, all except the CEOs of insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

I hope the Senate kills this bill.

[Lyric]

3. For my family's sake, I hope it dies too.

At least if it includes mandates without a provision to get around the discrimination against unmarried couples.

I don't want to have to drop out of college and work at McDonald's for the rest of my life in order to keep my wife (whether the feds recognize her as such or not!) out of tax prison. But that's what it's going to come down to. Jesus.

[Starry Messenger]

2. kick