Medicaid...

I have a family member who knows how to milk the system. Gets hundred of dollars in food stamps, free child care, Medicaid, unemployment benefits, will not marry the father of her three children because she gets too much money from the government for being a single mother....and she was able to buy a new car!! I am a senior on Medicare and have to watch every penny!

It depends. If that $2.00 makes it so they don't have food or have to choose between milk and toilet tissue, then maybe they just really don't even have that. My co-pays from my husband's insurance (and if it weren't for my husband, I would be in the same boat as you) are reasonable, $12 to $20 per Dr. visit. $9 to $20 per prescription. But I can't afford to have blood work done. $80 per series and my dr. wants about three series at a time. I always come back normal and he wants once a month. Got him down to once every 3 or 4 months. I think the one or two that are borderline occasionally are the only thing that need to be kept track of and if there is really a med that can cause liver function problems, then that. Even with insurance, I can't afford to go to the hospital. $80 co-pay per series of blood tests and probably that for x-rays and everything else they want to do. I'm avoiding the hospital like it's the plague. $300 for blood series here if I didn't have co-pay and I think either way, that's outrageous for routine blood tests. Think about it. I can do a blood sugar test at my house for way less than that, cholesterol now, too. I think they're really soaking us. I learned a long time ago, that when people are complaining, they really don't want my opinion, esp. if it's to the contrary. If it supports theirs, fine, but if it's contrary, forget it.

I know people on food stamps who complain about not being able to go out to eat. I'm just thankful I get some food stamps, even if mine were cut this year by more than half. I'm on Medicaid, but I've never had anything cost 50 cents. Nor do I get any dental coverage. I know people below 18 get dental coverage, but to my knowledge, adults don't. I had a $3,000 dental bill a couple of years ago that took me forever to pay. Same with my eye doctor bill. Medicaid doesn't cover that. I'm thankful for the two dollar prescriptions. Because Medicaid covers up to 6 prescriptions, but they don't cover every kind. So one in particular I pay out of pocket and it is 80 dollars a month. Also, I have over 6 prescriptions a month. So if those 6 weren't so cheap, I wouldn't be able to afford the others I have to pay full price for. Sometimes I skimp on those because I can't afford them every month.

Wow. That is a sign of ungratefulness. Complaining because they have to pay something. I am like you. I have to pay full price for my medical issues as I no longer have any insurance.

Oh twoey, come on. I can't believe they are complaining about that. I have NO type of insurance right now but I'd be sooooo happy if I could get those type of prices..wow! I think people complain way too much over such important matters that should be priorities. There are ways to cut costs on other items to receive such good benefits, and I for one, would do it in a heartbeat. I'm sorry, I find that sad.

hi twoey then you would be furious with me as I have medicare and a special break for senior citizens an insurance with secure horizons that has no copay for doctors and specialists, its a branch of Secure Horizons called Evercare for people in their 70s and 80s and 90s. However I never complain or b@#ch about any thing in my insurance as I am just grateful to have it.Look I worked all my life rightup to 80 so if I have some breaks I think maybe I deserve it.But I never even talk about my insurance with anyone younger unless they ask about something. seems every one gets antsy with older people.Whatever your own problems are health wise just know I have never asked any special favors from anyone but I was eligible for this insurance so I took it. Perhaps you are still too young for some of these programs. I dont know but I know most of my friends on this same insurance do not complain about what little they have to pay. we came by this help honestly.

i am in canada and while we get our health care for 'free' (we have social medicine) most people complain about the wait times. often times to see a specialist it takes several months to get in. healthcare should not have to cost that much money!

pft..they charge 250 here to pull a tooth.i'll take your 75.. i wish i were kidding. no worse than new SSI enrollees bragging about their retro when you're broke as living s*it.don't get me wrong,the guy truely is eligible,but i didn't need to hear that when i'm day to day.

Wow you know real nervy people to kvetch about such a low co-pay while receiving Medicaid. When I was younger I was under my mother's health plan (Blue Cross Blue Shield)...when I came of age and being self employed had to pay directly into it...and it wasn't cheap. Sooner or later, I had to stop paying as I just didn't have it to pay into it...don't ask how many years I was completely without an health insurance, and prayed that I wouldn't get sick, cause even a simple docs visit could put me back money wise. So you better believe that when I became eligible for Medicaid I was very, very grateful. To my mind $2.00 is nothing to pay considering the regular costs of meds that would run into the hundreds

I would just tell them that are grateful to not have to pay a very high price. That is what I would say to them. Or, I may just not say anything. I will just think to myself that they are complaining for nothing. I am on Medicaid myself and I know that a few times had I to pay a $2.00 copay fee. But, I did not carry on about it like some people do. I would just tell the receptionist that I don't have any money to pay. Sometimes, I will return with the money. It is like a surprise to me. I agree with you, I would rather pay $2.00 then $70.00. I am grateful that I have selected an health plan that will allow me to never have to pay any copay fees for any prescriptions or doctor visits. I just chose my health plan yesterday. And it is completely free. I would not complain because it could get worse, if there was such thing as Medicaid, period.

If you know me you can bet that I do say something. I am pretty well off because of the four scrips I get monthly I only pay about $26. I am on medicare. I don't gripe. I feel very fortunate to have what I have. The monthly amount I pay for the prescription is just right of nothing. I won't get into the teeth department because I really need some dental help and have none. Some people just don't know when to be thankful and gracious.

Hey Twoey, You said you need Medicaid. Why don't you have it? What is your disability? I'm always interested in case I might have any info I can share. Does this person really need the Medicaid? Can she afford the co-pays even though they are small? My hubby has been out of work for 2 1/2 yrs. I started receiving Medicaid in March 2007. My disability was like $757.00 a month. Hubby received unemployment off and on for those years. When he did get an extention, they dropped our food stamps and my Medicaid. This was due to Dennis receiving unemployment for maybe 8 to 12 weeks. The only steady income we have is my SSD of 757.00. I have like 15 different Medications and they range frim 3.19 for Brand and 1.10 for generics. Dennis has about 8 medications which he goes to a clinic for and they range from 10.00 to 35.00. He desperately needs to have his teeth pulled because they are so bad but we can't afford it. Every clinic visit was 10.00, maybe more now. My Hmo through Medicare pays only 80% and I get billed for 20. I am not complaining at all. I am truly grateful. But I just wanted to show you how things add up until you get a utility turned off because you don't have the money. They turned off our gas and now I have to pay 70.00 extra for the turn on fee. Of course you know these people better by far so I'm just throwing out a scenario. Big Hugs to you. Leenie

This entire subject is one near to me. I've had health insurance my whole life, until a year and a half ago when I could no longer afford it in any manner. The crux is, I also have several chronic illnesses, and my very life depends on a number of expensive meds. I can no longer afford any of those, either. So as one on a fixed income, and not "poor" enough for medicaide nor old enough for medicare, I feel trapped. I do understand that sometimes, even such a small amount of $2 can make or break having bread in the house at the end of the month. Karen

I hope and pray you get to read my response. I have medicaid and I thannk god for it as well. I have to pay $3.50 for each of my prescriptions. I live off of SSI so I have to go without my meds sometimes. I can't afford the co-pay either. It may seem to you like they are being ungrateful about it. But remember you have to be just about dirt poor to get medicaid in the first place. I pay cash for all nine teeth I had pulled out of my mouth. None were as cheap as yours. I just can't let medicaid pay for my removals. They don't want to give me an extra shot to be sure I am really numb. Please try to understand your friend is poor.

Some people will gripe about anything..Yes if i see someone like that i would do just like you, tell them how lucky they are..Some people want all they get for FREE, and they are getting it at a give away price as it is...I also know some people love to complain about something all the time..Know any of them????I do

It's so different within different parts of the world. Here we pay 200.00 to have a tooth pulled, I was just told by someone a couple weeks ago. Thank The Good Lord I have dentures because I could never even pay 75.00 right now. Here's what I think. I think these high cost doctors visits are OK for those who can pay for them. Actually I am living on a disability pension of 642.33 per month so thank goodness I have help with rent etc. Even as broke as I am I wouldn't mind paying a small fee to see a doctor providing I get my necessary care and the help I need. In Canada where I live we have to pay for our medication which is very expensive till you're 65 years old but our medicare is free. If I need to go to emergency I know before I ever leave home I will need to wait about three hours to get in and whether you believe this or not is totally up to you but there have been cases of people dying from heart attacks while waiting their turn. Now to me I think you're further ahead to have to pay something and get the help you need, opposed to letting us die according to the size of our finances. The government knows what we earn and how much money we have so therefore if you're in good shape financially I think it doesn't hurt to pay a higher premium but with that said I also think the less fortunate should have the same care a rich person should get and if just because it is free people take advantage which unfortunately does sometimes happen then make them pay heavy once, that would put a stop to that. In my part of the country we get what we pay for NOTHING. Here's a small example: Within the last year and a half I have gone to the doctor three or four times asking for help to find out why I can not blow my nose no matter how bad it runs I blow and I get an extremely severe nose bleed. I get blood clots amd even bring some up from my throat. All the doctor keeps telling me is that he gets nose bleeds too. A nose bleed is one thing but again last night I had to pack my nostril and I bled for an hour. I was just about to drive myself to emergency but then it stopped. Last summer I had to go to emergency bleeding from both nostrills and it took two doctors to stop the bleeding. This just isn't normal I'm sure and although my doctor was paid from the government for my office visits, he basically has done nothing for me and yet I will just bet that if I had lots enough money to go to the US I would walk away not only knowing what was wrong but able to get it fixed up. Just my opinion my dear. Happy New Year.

I'd tell them how nice it would be to have that insurance cause I sure don't , that's very cheap to pay so why should they gripe about it.

Well, while I think it is really ridiculous that whoever it was was complaining (and obviously very publicly) about paying that small of a co-payment, I am afraid I understand the frustration. I went through cancer treatment several years ago. I am a single parent. My income went from Great to ZERO in less than a month. It was very hard for me to accept help, but I had to (chemo treatments are over $20,000 a shot and radiation - for which I had to drive daily for 7 weeks, 150 miles round trip were over $6000 each). When you have less than nothing, are not getting any help and are trying to pay rent, utilites, gas to drive to and from drs. on less than $430 (my underpaid child support - but that is another story) a month, that $2 or $3 can seem like the breaking point. I myself never complained, and never would (my father,who knew how I felt bless his soul, said you have to think of this as dipping into the fund you have been paying taxes into during the 30 yrs you have been working and not worry about it). I have been supporting myself completely since the age of 16 and it was a real blow to find out how hard it is to get help and take it for those like me. But I NEVER would have or did complain out loud. That I don't condone.

My co-pays with insurance for three peoples monthly meds was OVER $350 which was the amount of a weeks wages for the working adult. Without insurance the kids get medicaid but we adults don't, and no one gets dental now as my state doesn't cover it. It all depends on the state, the person's income, and no matter what I wouldn't complain about being able to get my pills because now I can't get any of them.....

I see both sides of the coin. Medical issues are tough in this country US. I dont know if government health care is the way to go or not. The more control they have the worse the system seems. Im not on any health care cant afford to see a doctor or any specialist. I pretty much take over the counter meds to deal with problems. I know the day is fast approaching when i wont be able to be my own doctor but if you cant afford health insurance theres not much you can do about it. I dont qualify for any government assistance we are a family size of 9 and dont get foodstamps or anything like that. Im not bitter towards those that do recieve those government benifits actually im thankful they dont have to suffer like i do sometimes. I wouldnt wish this on other people. Im just thankful when all the bills get paid every month and theres enough food on the table for everyone in the family.