Kellyanne Conway says get a job instead of Medicaid.  All those nursing home residents might need some help filling out the applications.

There is much to worry about in the new Trumpcare bill, including such things as the loss of insurance coverage for 22 million Americans, premium increases for ages 55 to 64 of 294% at poverty level and 96% for the well-to-do, higher deductibles, the lack of inclusion of essential health benefits, the freeze on Planned Parenthood funding, allowing states to opt out of annual or lifetime coverage caps,  allowing states to allow insurance companies to remove coverage requirements for certain pre-existing conditions, and the elimination of the mandate for large companies to offer affordable coverage to their employees.  It is opposed by the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association American Academy of Family Physicians, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, American Association of Medical Colleges, Catholic Health Association, American Academy of Pediatrics and many, many more.

Furthermore, one of the most egregious aspects of the plan is the decrease in funding of Medicaid, which provides health insurance to 72.5 Americans, including those in poor households, pregnant women, children, those with disabilities and elderly patients.  The recipients must be citizens or lawful permanent residents.  Mandatory coverage includes hospital, physician care, lab, x-ray, long term care and home health services.  States are given the choice of covering optional benefits, such as prescriptions, physical therapy, occupational therapy, optometry and hospice care.  Any decrease in Medicaid funding could have disastrous results for many Americans, including those who don’t even care much about the disadvantaged.

Studies have shown that Medicaid assistance has positive effects, not only for the patient but for society as a whole.  The disadvantaged who have received Medicaid compared to those left to fend for themselves medically have more employment, higher earnings, greater education attainment and lower incarceration rates.

Some important feature are the coverage of pregnant women with adequate prenatal and postpartum care, not solely based on income.  Additional coverage is provided for the medically needy, which includes those special needs children who are receiving adoption assistance.

An ever-growing issue in this country is long term care for the elderly.  The average cost for nursing home care is over $90,000 annually, which is not covered by Medicare unless it’s a brief period following a hospitalization.  Fortunately, for those who need extensive custodial care in nursing homes and do not have the resources to cover the charges, Medicaid can take over.  In general, when a long term care patient’s assets are depleted down to $2,000, Medicaid will pay.  Some states have an even higher limit and many assets don’t count towards this ceiling.

What happens if Medicaid funding is cut?  What will we do if our funds are depleted?  Will they throw us out of the home onto the street?  Will our children have to take us in?  Do we just go ahead and die?  Does the Republican Congress or the President even care?

Let’s all stay strong and continue to fight this travesty.