Amy J,
During the downturn a contact of mine told me about unemployed hightech workers that she knew who were ill, thin, but out of money so they couldn't see a doctor, meanwhile her healthy contacts from south america were able to see a doctor here for free (annual physical exam, colds, etc.). She's from south america and had complete coverage - physical exam, free mammogramm too. How come only the unemployed hightech worker gets the raw deal, while others (according to her) get free medical care in the bay area? The contrast she described was startling. Not something you would read about in our newspaper.
Most of the local newspapers are all wet, filled with pitiful "journalists" trying to break the next Watergate, while a bigger scandal is right under their noses.
Now, just for a moment forget about the disparity of the services, think of the costs. In New York state, it cost over $12,000 to provide Medicaid coverage for a single adult individual, which exceeds an annual wage of a person working full time under minimum wage.
If that is not an outrageous enough, the "service" the Medicaid recipient receive is beyond pitiful, in the city hospitals. Where does the money go, and why does nobody investigate it? There are too many people in the cookie jar with powerful interests behind them. We have the doctors overbilling, overprescribing useless medicine, drug companies overcharging, trial lawyers suing to get their cut, low ranking health care workers receiving pay, benefits and pensions that are out of this world.
I know a couple, who while not highly educated, managed to spot a deal of the lifetime. After working a few years, they are now in their early 50s, retired, purchased a beautiful retirement home, and on a dole for the rest of their life with New York City taxpayers paying their pensions until they die.
Joe |
