Minnesota Republican Senate -- no eyeglasses or prosthetics for the poor

[wellstone dem]

The Senate bill proposes eliminating coverage for some services for Minnesotans on MA and MinnesotaCare, including chiropractic, podiatry, specialized therapies for adults, eyeglasses and prosthetics.

http://minnesotabudgetbites.org/2011/03/24/senate-healt...
A Wellstone Democrat

[CTyankee]

1. No crutch for you, Tiny Tim!

[wellstone dem]

26. I'm going to use that line on a sign

at the next protest.

[CTyankee]

28. With a cartoon of rich Wall St. CEO kicking little Tiny Tim's crutch out from under his arm.

Of course, you could also use "ARE THERE NO WORKHOUSES? ARE THERE NO PRISONS?" on a poster...that would work for ya!

[Lars39]

2. No podiatry means more amputations and deaths for diabetics.

[dragonlady]

11. Even from a purely monetary point of view

this plan is stupid, because it would save a little on the podiatrist's care but pay out dramatically more on inpatient treatment and all the rest of it in the future. This is the mindset of the corporate CEO who sees only next quarter's profits and kicks the can down the road for somebody else to worry about after he's gone with his golden parachute.

[lonestarnot]

3. Minnesota you suck more ass every day!

[barbtries]

4. these people

are really sick. i am really sick of them. every day it's another story about them just kicking the less fortunate to the curb, then kicking them some more. they just disgust me.

[Autumn]

9. Have you heard any of our "Leaders"

calling them on this? Any speeches?

[wellstone dem]

18. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton is hitting back

From the Minnesota Forum

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=160x41563


He is rapidly becoming my favorite Mn DFLer. Yesterday he took a shot at the Republican's healthcare reform package "It's just Fantasy Island" and goes on to tear it apart:

"If you start making up these assumptions, where is no basis in reality to them it is a convenient gimmick to obscure the real consequences of some of these proposed cuts on real people's lives," Dayton said. "These are about people...So to make up a number of $300 million from global waiver that's never been discussed with me by anyone and there is no evidence that any other state has been able to receive such a waiver and the (federal) administration has said they don't intend to grant such a waiver and it wouldn't even be permissible, they say, under existing federal law, is just not responsible."
http://www.startribune.com/politics/118440964.html

and today he turns around and issues an executive order opening up the states healthcare purchases to open bidding. The executive order also puts forth increased oversight of the companies receiving the winning bids requiring them to submit annual reports on administrative expenses, premium revenues and reimbursement rates. Check the comments on this article. The true conservatives love it and the RW wingnuts are going crazy.
W3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUCDEaLDyE7DyaU" target="_blank">http://www.startribune.com/politics/118516389.html?elr=...

and then, on top of it all, Dayton takes a shot at Pawlenty: Dayton took a swipe at his predecessor, saying the state's managed care contracts were "largely unchecked" under Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Well Done Sir!!!

[Autumn]

19. Thanks for that.

Well done indeed.

[barbtries]

21. anthony weiner.

not specific to this as far as i know. but he has given some great speeches shaming the republicans.

[Autumn]

22. He's about the only one I have seen

giving then hell. I just really like him. But I just wish the Democratic part leaders would all raise hell about this.

[Newest Reality]

5. So, then

on this trajectory, when does the culling of the "useless eaters" begin?

Or is it meant to be a slow, grinding attrition with a die-off fueled by total neglect?

[LiberalLoner]

7. I think you hit the nail on the head. They want at least 75% of us to die NOW. I believe they

are instituting their plan bit-by-bit.

[SoCalDem]

10. That whole "live-longer" stuff gets in the way of the corporate plan

Living longer is a "problem" since too many jobs tend to end at age 45 these days, and pensions??..well that's so 20th century.

Corporations are realizing that millions of 45-plussers are virtually penniless and will need federal./state money, and that's the same money THEY want as tax credits/bonuses/bribes & payoffs..

Life was so much better for the corporatists when they had mostly manual labor...dangerous labor that wore out workers & killed them before they could retire & collect Social Security.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

6. That'll teach 'em to be poor.

Of course, after they lose their feet and can't get prosthetic replacements it may be difficult to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

F-ing heartless idiots! :mad:

[AsahinaKimi]

31. Maybe they

Should kick them while they are down too ... :sarcasm:

geeze, louise!

[Yo_Mama]

8. This sounds like implementing Sibellius' suggestions

In her letter to the governors, she suggested dropping non-mandated coverage for Medicaid, which includes these types of services and dental care.

I'm serious. That was our current federal administration's suggestions as to how to balance the state books.

You people are blaming the Republicans when you ought to be blaming the current health care system and its inadequate funding.
Letter:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/01/20110203c.html
Paper on exactly what they can drop (or charge for):
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/02/20110203tech.html

Mandatory Services (60% of Spending)


* Inpatient hospital services
* Outpatient hospital services
* Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) services
* Nursing facility services
* Home health services
* Physician services
* Rural health clinic services
* Federally qualified health center services
* Laboratory and X-ray services
* Family planning services
* Nurse Midwife services
* Certified Pediatric and Family Nurse Practitioner services
* Freestanding Birth Center services (when licensed or otherwise recognized by the State)
* Transportation to medical care
* Smoking cessation for pregnant women

Optional Services (40% of Spending)

* Prescription drugs
* Clinic services
* Physical therapy
* Occupational therapy
* Speech, hearing and language disorder services
* Respiratory care services
* Other diagnostic, screening, preventive and rehabilitative services
* Podiatry services
* Optometry services
* Dental services
* Dentures
* Prosthetics
* Eyeglasses
* Chiropractic services
* Other practitioner services
* Private duty nursing services
* Other services approved by the Secretary

[PDJane]

12. These folks are not fiscal conservatives....

They're just plain mean.

[Avant Guardian]

16. nor are they conservative by any measure

They are radical reactionaries.

[aquart]

13. OR they could tax the rich.

[Avant Guardian]

15. When my RW coworkers talk about sacrifice in this context

I ask them, 'what sacrifice are the rich making?' and they never have an answer. It is obvious they have never even contemplated this before.

[MadMaddie]

29. If they reply they will say

well the Rich are the ones providing the jobs....I reply back with "What Jobs"? They have had tax breaks for 10 years and the job market has not improved.

[Avant Guardian]

14. Republicans believe that god hates the poor

Im tellin ya, hook line and sinker ideological beliefs take ten points off your IQ.

[housewolf]

17. Does prosthetics include dentures for those who need them?

Like for those who couldn't afford dental care to take care of their teeth while they had them?

just askin'

[wellstone dem]

25. I think dentures are covered separately under dental but I believe

dental is also being cut. I'm looking for that information now. In Minnesota the dental care reimbursement rate is so low that most dentists won't participate.

[Ilsa]

27. Actually, it occurred to me

That knocking out the teeth of any GOPer that supports this cut might show them the error of their ways. ;-)

I hope a lot of amputees show up to protest.

[wellstone dem]

33. The proposal also eliminates dentures for

anyone over 21. Now they are trying to starve the poor.

[RickFromMN]

20. I voted a straight democratic ticket knowing it was a lost cause.

I was guaranteed a Republican as my Minnesota House Representative, Morrie Lanning.

My Minnesota State Senator is Keith Langseth.

My U. S. House Representative pretends to be a Democrat, Collin Peterson.
Please don't hit me with, isn't he one of the original Blue Dog Coalition founders.
The alternative would be a Republican.

Hopefully the pendulum will swing back, and soon.

[wellstone dem]

24. Since my rep is Bachmann

I can hardly criticize you for being represented by Peterson.

[jwirr]

23. Podiatry and glasses hits those with diabetes. Hey Tbaggers - that

usually means the elder - aren't most Tbaggers elderly?

[lib2DaBone]

30. More Republican crazy... when/where does it end?

[wellstone dem]

32. One kick for the morning

A triumph, only kicking my own post once.