Senator Lamar Alexander calls Medicaid a "Medical Ghetto"

[Thickasabrick]

Today on the Senate floor, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) railed against Medicaid, the health insurance program funded by both the federal and state governments for low-income Americans, by calling it a “medical ghetto” and blasting Democrats for proposing to expand the program:

– “We’ve heard eloquent statements about how moving 15 million low-income Americans into a program called Medicaid, which is a medical ghetto, is not health care reform.”

– “The governor of Tennessee, who is a Democratic governor, has estimated that the cost to our state of this bill — of moving 15 million Americans into this medical ghetto — is about $800 million over five years.”

– “Or arrogant in its dumping of 15 million low-income Americans into a medical ghetto called Medicaid that none of us, or any of our families, would ever want to be a part of for our health care.”

Video at the Link

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/21/alexander-medicaid-ghetto/

What an arrogant, useless pile of excrement. This was low even by Tennessee standards. Of course he wouldn't want his family in medicaid - he has his government "non-ghetto" insurance.

[OHdem10]

1. Is this a way to discourage poor people from signing on to Medicaid.

[Thickasabrick]

6. Like all republicans, he hates medicaid (and medicare). I think this

was his way of belittling the people who are in the program along with the program itself. Medicaid has survived our collapsing social safety net and I shudder to think of what would have happened if we had not had it.

This is a classic example of the "I've got mine" mentality at work.

[MadMaddie]

2. So when the word "gheto" is used it usually has a racial

undertone....

These pricks do not give a damn about Americans citizens. I am sick of them.

[OhioBlue]

3. what the hell is he smoking???

My nieces and nephews are on medicaid and it is better than my insurance plan that covers my son.

what an out of touch, elitist asshole.

[Thickasabrick]

8. I'm glad your nieces and nephews have it. As the rest of the article

states - it actually does a better job than private insurance companies.

I agree, he is one out of touch, elitist asshole.

[dusmcj]

4. his kind are used to putting people in ghettos /nt

[madamesilverspurs]

5. Indeed.

"his kind are used to putting people in ghettos" -- and then accusing them of being there.


---

[jobycom]

7. He needs to Ghetto-ver it.

[Nyquil Man]

9. Where is Lamar's bill to end Medicaid?

I'm waiting...

[LeftyMom]

10. His party are the people bound and determined to ruin the program!

[madrchsod]

11. poor choice of words but true

Medicaid is really under funded by the feds and states.

[burning rain]

12. Trying to convince people they're better off with no health coverage, than Medicaid.

Brilliant.

[Naturyl]

13. I'm glad I have this"ghetto"

Because otherwise, I would have absolutely nothing.

Of course Alexander wouldn't want to be on Medicaid, because he actually has a choice. Many of us don't.

Alexander doesn't care about 'those people,' though.