Medicaid in my state will not pay for things like cochlear implants for ADULTS who are severely hard of hearing....My roommate is so hard of hearing that hearing aids barely help him..and the 'powers that be' that run NJ Medicaid won't pay for a cochlear implant or even a digital hearing aid for him EVEN THOUGH he has said that HE WANTS TO BE ABLE TO HEAR BETTER...Medicaid's rationale.."A cochlear implant won't help an adult understand speech better"..How stupid! Discovery Health Channel has aired true stories about ADULTS who have had their lives greatly IMPROVED with cochlear implantation....And my roommate would be able to actually participate in his mental-health groups more because HE WOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR WHAT IS SAID!

It seems to me that Medicaid wants to keep disabled people disabled...and 'in their place'....

I speak out of experience here.  There were times when I was too sick with depression to eat or sleep, let alone hold down a job.  When I was on Masshealth (our state's brand of Medicaid), I went to a cut rate public clinic to get my medication.  They required all clients to do talk therapy, so I did.  However, I couldn't find an analyst who would take medicaid.  It did me no good to hash it out with a social worker once a week. 
The attitude of American society is rapidly becoming a chicken coop mentality.  You know, as soon as the other chickens detect a vulnerable one, they all peck it to death.  The right-wingers who run our country are don't like the real Darwinism, but love the misnomer "Social Darwinism."  They cut funds to help the poor and the needy in order to subsidize the affluent lifestyles of the rich.  Their Spartan philosophy is "if you can't compete, f. off and die!" 
That's why social services are so sparse and inadequate.
::)

I worry about something bad happening to my roommate because he can't hear well....something like a person attacking him by sneaking up on him and my roommate not hearing his potential attacker..possibly getting hurt badly or even KILLED...and my roommate does NOT know how to defend himself....physically I mean...

I guess Medicaid figures 'Oh he'll be safe,he can see,right? And no one attacks disabled people! So what,it's no big deal!'

Another reason I won't vote Republican.....

But some Democrats sit and do nothing too!

Medicaid in my state will not pay for things like cochlear implants for ADULTS who are severely hard of hearing....My roommate is so hard of hearing that hearing aids barely help him..and the 'powers that be' that run NJ Medicaid won't pay for a cochlear implant or even a digital hearing aid for him EVEN THOUGH he has said that HE WANTS TO BE ABLE TO HEAR BETTER...Medicaid's rationale.."A cochlear implant won't help an adult understand speech better"..How stupid! Discovery Health Channel has aired true stories about ADULTS who have had their lives greatly IMPROVED with cochlear implantation....And my roommate would be able to actually participate in his mental-health groups more because HE WOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR WHAT IS SAID!

It seems to me that Medicaid wants to keep disabled people disabled...and 'in their place'....


Another thing to consider, is the transplant still considered to be "Experimental"?

A lot of private insurance policies will not cover experimental treatments.  It is simply a risk factor.  Experimental means risky.  And risky means lower chance of success, and higher risk of complications.

I know that in the mid 1990's, the military still did not allow RK-ALK procedures because of this reason.  It is only in the last few years that they have started to endorse them for active duty servicemembers.

The same goes today for most transplants, and for bone marrow treatments.  Until they leave the universities and enter mainstream, very few insurance (public or private) will pay for them.

Another thing to consider, is the transplant still considered to be "Experimental"?

A lot of private insurance policies will not cover experimental treatments. It is simply a risk factor. Experimental means risky. And risky means lower chance of success, and higher risk of complications.

I know that in the mid 1990's, the military still did not allow RK-ALK procedures because of this reason. It is only in the last few years that they have started to endorse them for active duty servicemembers.

The same goes today for most transplants, and for bone marrow treatments. Until they leave the universities and enter mainstream, very few insurance (public or private) will pay for them.
Cochlear implants are used widely and have been proven to work in most people who get them.

Cochlear implants are used widely and have been proven to work in most people who get them.

I agree, I wouln't call Cochlear "experimental."  True, medicaid has this much in common with insurance companies, no excuse not to pay is too petty!

The people who our leaders spend all their time with don't have such issues.  If a Bush or a Rumsfeld needs a Cochlear, they just take out the plastic and buy it at cost.  No prob.  Folks like us who worry about bills and whatnot are just chattle.  They want our vote on election day, and then we just fade from view again.

Clearly, the problems in our health care "system" (I use the word loosely) go well beyond Medicaid and Medicare.  What we need is what every other industrialized nation has; a universal, single payer, cradle to grave health care SYTSTEM.

Clearly, the problems in our health care "system" (I use the word loosely) go well beyond Medicaid and Medicare.  What we need is what every other industrialized nation has; a universal, single payer, cradle to grave health care SYTSTEM.

Them's fightin' words!
You say "single payer health care system"
The right-wingers cry, "doesn't work, doesn't work, doesn't work, doesn't work, doesn't work, doesn't work...."
Bill O'Reilly is fond of saying, "A country like Sweden has cradle-to-grave social entitlements, you don't want THAT kind of country, do you?"
Oh yeah, we the heck not?
:D

Cochlear implants are used widely and have been proven to work in most people who get them.


But is it still considered "experimental"?

Organ transplants have been common for decades, but they are often still considered "experimental".  Bone Marrow transplants are still considered "experimental" for most cases of cancer treatment.

And here is another thing to consider:  the opposition by the deaf community.

Believe it or not, there is large opposition to this procedure by a lot of members of the deaf community.  I have run across this myself.  Mt fiancee studied for several years to be an ASL interpretor.  Even though she was not deaf, she also was a critic of the procedure.

And it certainly does have some severe risks.  For one, almost all remaining hearing is destroyed in the procedure.  For another, it involves open brain surgery.  That alone is not to be done without grave reservations.

It may be more common then it was a decade ago, but it is still very experimental.  And from what I have read, it is only successfull about 50-65% of the time.  Those are not very promising odds.

but they'll pay for a AID's infested man to get his more than fair share of viagra, who thanks to the liberals has no obligation to tell the women he plans on sleeping with about his little H.I.V. problem.

but they'll pay for a AID's infested man to get his more than fair share of viagra, who thanks to the liberals has no obligation to tell the women he plans on sleeping with about his little H.I.V. problem.

A message from your friendly prophet Rush "Jesus Christ" Limbaugh.
:D

Crazymom wrote:
Wait.....how is that "thanks to the liberals"?
Don't you get it yet?  We cause ALL the world's problems.  Every time something bad happens, you can bet there's a liberal behind the curtain pulling the lever.  Remember when you were five and you fell face first of the jungle gym and had to get ten stitches?  You didn't fall, I PUSHED you!  Why?  Because I am a liberal, and that's what I do!  Now if you'll excuse me, I have a little storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico.  Muuuwahahahaha!!!
;D

Crazymom wrote:Don't you get it yet? We cause ALL the world's problems. Every time something bad happens, you can bet there's a liberal behind the curtain pulling the lever. Remember when you were five and you fell face first of the jungle gym and had to get ten stitches? You didn't fall, I PUSHED you! Why? Because I am a liberal, and that's what I do! Now if you'll excuse me, I have a little storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico. Muuuwahahahaha!!!
;D


Finally, someone to blame for all the bad things that happen in the world.  I blame you, Max. :D

And Medicaid also puts up a fight about paying for NON-EXPERIMENTAL adaptive/safety stuff for deaf and hard of hearing people...stuff like smoke detectors with flashing lights...alarm clocks with a 'shaker'  that you put under the pillow to wake you, TDD's...doorbells with flashing lights...
Thank god that most televisions come with closed captioning nowadays. I think that the Americans with Disabilities Act should apply to what Medicaid pays for too.....especially if it's essential to the INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS or SAFETY of a disabled person.

Sorry, Tony, but I have to disagree with this.  Medicaid is for MEDICAL expenses.  Alarm clocks and doorbells and phones are not medical necessities.  They have to draw the line somewhere.


What, are you heartless?

Medicaid should also but new computers for the heard of hearing, since that way they can type to each other (since they can't hear to use the phone).  They should also buy them cars, so they can get to their medical apointments.

Then people wonder why people like me are afriad of "Socialized Medicine".

Sorry, Tony, but I have to disagree with this. Medicaid is for MEDICAL expenses. Alarm clocks and doorbells and phones are not medical necessities. They have to draw the line somewhere.
Medicaid in NJ DOES pay for those things for those who have a limited income due to being on SSI...
and YES my roommate DOES benefit from having those things....he is so hard-of-hearing that even with his hearing aid, it's not really a help...he has extremely limited hearing even with a hearing aid. So yes he truly cannot hear a doorbell even when it's loud, especially when he's in his room(the bedrooms are upstairs in this condo)I'm not always here to answer the door(Yes I have responsibliities and a LIFE away from this condo too)and his caseworker does not always get in touch with him before she comes over and he has an amplified phone and you still have to almost YELL into the receiver for him to hear you on his end.....And my program IS in the process of getting him a doorbell that has a flashing light hooked up to it as well as a smoke detector with a strobe light. He truly is almost DEAF.

They don't give people really decent stuff...my roommate has gotten absolutely crappy hearing aids from Medicaid...the guy he used to see for hearing aids would give Medicaid patients sub-par aids. The place he goes to now accepts Medicaid...and gives him decent hearing aids.

What really gets me is that SOME healthcare providers keep Medicaid patients at the bottom rung as far as decent care/medical equipment goes....too bad all doctors/healthcare providers who take on Medicaid patients are not required to treat those patients with DECENT care across the board!

yes, people on Medi-caid do seem to get different treatment..and not for the better all the time. same as people with little or no insurance....the doctors and hospitals seem to worry more about who is paying for things. so much for they became a doctor to help people. and before anyone gets in an uproar...i'm not talking about all doctors, nurses, and hospitals. i'm not going to judge anyone on the select few. 

Wait.....how is that "thanks to the liberals"?


Even when caught in the act, you still won't admit to your faults.

Why is the man getting viagra for free? Because the liberals are making sure he can get his prescription drug, without having to pay for it himself.  God forbid, I forgot the $7 charge he has to pay for $500 bucks worth of viagra.

Secondly who is protecting the man's privacy, so he doesn't have to tell the women he sleeps with that he has aids? The liberals.  Protect yourself by saying, "it's the mans responsibility to tell her, and he should" Most agreed, certainly, most agreed. But ask yourself, is he going to?  Protect yourself even more by saying, "the woman should have him tested" True, very true. Will she???? Will he agree??  Your hero John Robertson said himself, "abstinence is not an option" therefore they will get it on.  Let's not forget that if someone says, "hey don't sleep with that dude, he has HIV"  Here comes the liberals to the HIV infested man's rescuse to shut the renouwned accusers mouth.

How is it the liberals fault?  Is that a rhetorical question?

Even when caught in the act, you still won't admit to your faults.

Why is the man getting viagra for free? Because the liberals are making sure he can get his prescription drug, without having to pay for it himself.  God forbid, I forgot the $7 charge he has to pay for $500 bucks worth of viagra.



What if it's not Viagra?  What if it's heart medicine, blood pressure medicine, cancer treatment, or psychotrophics?  Are old  people free loaders because they cannot afford to spend one, two, three plus thousands per month for prescription drugs?  Should they be good rugged individualists and just crawl off and die, rather than burden decent God-fearing taxpayers like you?

What if it's not Viagra?  What if it's heart medicine, <a  style='text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 3px double;' href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=24&k=blood%20pressure" onmouseover="window.status='blood pressure'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">blood pressure</a> medicine, cancer treatment, or psychotrophics?  Are old  people free loaders because they cannot afford to spend one, two, three plus thousands per month for prescription drugs?  Should they be good rugged individualists and just crawl off and die, rather than burden decent God-fearing taxpayers like you?


Of course old people are not free-loaders and they should have those things provided. The Federal government should take care of it's people. 

Please explain to me why you as a liberal can not see the difference between providing a Aid's infested sex craved man with Viagra and providing an old woman with lukemia cancer treatment, because I as a conservative have no problem whatsoever seeing that there is a HUGE difference.

Of course old people are not free-loaders and they should have those things provided. The Federal government should take care of it's people.

Please explain to me why you as a liberal can not see the difference between providing a Aid's infested sex craved man with Viagra and providing an old woman with lukemia cancer treatment, because I as a conservative have no problem whatsoever seeing that there is a HUGE difference.
I hope you know that having HIV/AIDS is not exclusive to sex addicts,gays,or IV drug users....there are children who have the disease,either through getting tainted blood or blood products(which is how Ryan White got AIDS through tainted clotting factor which is derived from blood)or having the crappy luck of being born with it.....

yes, people on Medi-caid do seem to get different treatment..and not for the better all the time. same as people with little or no insurance....the doctors and hospitals seem to worry more about who is paying for things. so much for they became a doctor to help people. and before anyone gets in an uproar...i'm not talking about all doctors, nurses, and hospitals. i'm not going to judge anyone on the select few.
I was without insurance for two years while waiting for Medicare benefits due to disability...If I could not pay upfront for doctor visits...their attitude changed towards me changed quickly and they would deny me medical treatment "You need to go to the emergency room they will take care of you!"..and they claimed the reason was malpractice insurance....yeah more like RAMPANT GREED!! And keeping up payments on the Porsche...the big house in that exclusive neighborhood..the membership fees at that swank,ultra-exclusive country club..the trophy wife...that exclusive private schooling for the kids...the nanny...........

I hope you know that having HIV/AIDS is not exclusive to sex addicts,gays,or IV drug users....there are children who have the disease,either through getting tainted blood or blood products(which is how Ryan White got AIDS through tainted clotting factor which is derived from blood)or having the crappy luck of being born with it.....


I knew that.  I also know that a 7 year old boy isn't going to be asking for viagra to help treat his condition.