Utah Death Squad

You may be tired of me harping on this, but it’s important. It’s important because people are being killed. People are dying.
The GOP members of the Utah Legislature continue to “do business” behind closed doors, regarding Medicaid in our state. They do a lot of business this way, maybe so they can sequester themselves against the actual will of the citizens, as they are wont to do. Alos, the vote is secret, so unless your legislator discloses this/her vote, you won’t know if they are representing our wishes, as they are elected to do.
Once again, they were unable to unite on a partial Medicaid expansion plan, having rejected the generous full expansion plan offered by the Federal Government through the Affordable Care Act (ACA),over two years ago. Two plans proposed by Gov. Gary Herbert have failed to gain the support of his own political party.
Depending upon who you believe (Speaker Hughes or Rep. King), Utah taxpayer money has been lost to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.
That’s what they always discuss when addressing this, and other social service issues: What’s it gonna cost?” Every time the state and federal governments want to cut costs, it is to the detriment of the elderly, poor, and disabled. Rarely do we hear of the individuals, the people, the families, that are ion need and suffering because they make too little, but just enough to not be eligible for Medicaid help. Legislative decisions have human consequences.
Please. This is about people. Sick people. People in pain & distress. People who are dying. Can’t you remove the dollar signs from your eyes long enough to see that?
Governor, Speaker Hughes, those who voted against and the dozens who refuse to disclose their vote: PLEASE! Admit your mistake and take the federal ACA deal. The crosses planted yesterday on the south lawn of the capitol show you how many people have died waiting for insurance coverage they can afford. Your continued resistance to helping the poor and needy of Utah will cause more deaths. You are the Utah Death Squad.

One big obstacle to healthcare access, perhaps the biggest, is insurance companies. I was recently denied an MRI ordered by my neurologist. Once I complete 4 weeks of physical therapy, they may reconsider if there is no improvement. (I have already undergone physical therapy for the problems I’m experiencing, but my insurance co. doesn’t know that because they were not my provider at the time.) Medicaid/Medicare gets billed for those visits, and then will get billed for the MRI. Great money making scheme,  Arches (not my insurance co.) is increasing some of their insurance premiums by 300%! This is according to KUTV’s feature, “Get Gephardt.” 
Well, I guess we get what we deserve in a capitalist society that turned medical care into a business rather than the social service it ought to be.
Contact your legislators. Ask how they voted on full Medicaid expansion, Healthy Utah, and Healthy Access Plus. Ask that they support full expansion. Let your voice be heard. Most of them, sadly not all, will listen and reply.
Stay well
---RGR
RGR on Facebook 
More on this blog’s topic:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/state-medicaid-report-kaiser
http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/7374-
http://kutv.com/news/local/rehab-instead-of-prison-will-be-difficult-after-utah-rejects-medicaid-expansion
http://www.sltrib.com/home/3088326-155/advocates-keep-up-pressure-for-medicaid

Technorati Tags: Rio Grande Reporteport,homelessness,Medicaid,heath care,medical care,medical insurance,Utah,Salt Lake City,Utah Legislature,Governor Gary Herbert,Speaker Greg Hughes,poverty,Affordable Care Act

Photo credit: Salt Lake Tribune
Cartoon by Pat Bagley

"My Kind Of America" With Jack Black

As politicians insist upon copyright infringement of incensed artists...

A bit of humor from Jack Black and Stephen Colbert on The Late Show.

Access Denied

Yesterday, in a closed door vote (again) Utah Governor Gary Herbert’s new Medicaid Expansion plan, Healthy Access, was defeated by a 56-7 vote.

Our governor, and our legislators, and the dominant Utah GOP keep saying that they want all people of Utah to have health care, but three years after the Affordable Care Act (ACA), our state still hasn’t been able to come up with an alternative to proposed full expansion offered by our federal; government. Millions upon millions of dollars, Utah tax money, has gone to states which did expand under ACA.
Why can’t the dominant party even approve the plans they put forth? Why are poor working Utahans still without basic insurance?
Early in the argument whether to take the federal option, one argument against was that Utah already had plenty of charitable organizations to pick up the slack, or as the phrase has been coined, “Cover the Gap.” The largest organizations mentioned were churches, along with some other service providers. So it seems the legislature and leadership of Utah don’t believe it is the job of government to care for its people. It is the job of churches and charities.
Exactly who do they think has been taking up the slack in the past? Providing medical treatment and drugs for the homeless, indigent, poverty stricken, and the working poor is an expensive endeavor, and most service providers are strapped for cash to run essential programs as it is. Most of these orgs are volunteer oriented, that is to say most workers don’t receive a dime for their work. Any added burden to these efforts would be difficult.
Governor, I would love to live in a world where, because everyone realises their duty to their fellow people, and so everyone is taken care of. We could. But we don't. So we have government programs for that.
And the last time I sought help from the dominant religion through the SLC Ninth Ward, I ended up on the street again, so I suggest caution, unless you have no problem with converting to the dominant religion. Besides, the UT GOP aren’t finished thumbing their nose at our president yet.

Latest news reports say the issue is tabled until the 2016 Legislative Session. Meanwhile, people wait, grow sicker, and die.
That there is even a question about healthcare access being granted to all citizens surprises me in such a “moral” environment.
In other news, those of us (such as myself) who depend upon Social Security Income of some kind, will get no cost-of-living increase in January. Major reason cited? Low gas prices. How many people living on social security income/disability even have the means to owns a car?
So, as wars rage on (President will not pull Afghanistan troops now as promised) and prices of everything go up, the elderly, poor, and disabled get screwed. The rich, and corporations, continue to run The USofA, and our leaders at all levels give us the finger.
Election next year. Vote wisely.
Political cartoons by Pat Bagley.
Meeting at SLC Public Library tonight:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1069177716425871/
Click the links to READ MORE:
http://kutv.com/news/local/republican-caucus-votes-56-7-not-to-expand-medicaid-in-utah
http://fox13now.com/2015/10/14/utah-lawmakers-agree-to-revisit-medicaid-expansion-alternatives-in-2016-legislative-session/
Rio Grande Report on Facebook

Technorati Tags: Rio Grande Report,blog,Salt Lake City,Utah,health care,Utah legislature,medicaid expansion,Affordable Care Act,Healthy Utah,Healthy Access

I Can’t Save Anyone

After a few days passed beyond last week’s writings, I started to feel that my last post might be construed as self-righteous, self-serving, and self-centered. This feeling grew as the week went on. I conceded that the post could be perceived as shameless self-promotion, but averred that this was not my intent.
How to damage control, then? A disclaimer, perhaps?
Not at all. I remain unapologetically compassionate.
I did find a Tedx Talk by my former associate at Fourth Street Clinic, Dr. Joel Hunt. Joel reminded me that nothing is about me, and that I have no power to save anyone. I may be able to help them; I can certainly love them. I cannot save them.
How Can I Bring Dignity to the Homeless?

I see nothing wrong with doing all I can to love, and to help. I see nothing wrong with me relating those efforts to you here, as it is an appropriate venue to do so. I do not put my efforts above the efforts of any other person or groups. It just is. It is true. It is how I do what I do. It is who I am. 
On another note, the clock continues to tick away, people continue to get ill, and people die, as Utah Governor Gary Herbert and the Utah Legislature fail to come up with a state healthcare plan and close the coverage gap known as The Donut Hole.This gap is made up of working people who make too much to qualify for Medicaid, Medicare, or any Affordable Care Act premium tax subsidy, have no insurance through their work and cannot afford private insurance.
These two short films document the Utah tragedies, and make an excellent case for healthcare reform, in any form other than gutting social services altogether.
Entitled to Life 
Donut Hole: Life in the Utah Coverage Gap 

There are two sides to every argument. Here are some recent alerts I have received via my Gmail.
Ten Things You Need to Know for Friday Sept. 11 
Two Ways Medicaid ACO’s Can Overcome 
Utahans Are Split 
Taxing Doctors 
Redd Concerned 
Utah Doctor Group Opposed 
Obamacare Effect: Fewer Uninsured
Utah Falling Behind in Coverage 
My View: Say no to Medicaid expansion by Jonathan Johnson for Deseret News
Doctors Oppose “Provider Tax” 

My view: Medicaid expansion in Utah responsibly helps poor, needy by Ray Ward for Deseret News

Poverty Data Released by Census Shows Mixed Results for Utah’s Poor 
Op-ed: Medicaid expansion is not the Utah way of helping poor by Evelyn Everton for Salt Lake Tribune

My view: Provider tax good way to expand Utah’s health insurance by John Grima For the Deseret News

Don’t forget your place for complete Homelessness News from a variety of sources
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My sincere apologies to anyone who was offended by thinking I was just loudly tooting my own horn. Perhaps I was; perhaps not. In either case, the desired outcome was, as always, to inform & entertain. Nothing more.
Next post I’ll try to get back to suggesting/exploring solutions to homelessness that we can all get behind. The issues of poverty we face in Salt Lake City is not just about homeless people. We are below poverty. There are so many people to help out. Please, can you try to find your way?
---RGR

Technorati Tags: homeless,healthcare,Rio Grande Reporteport,bigrivwerreport,blog,homeless people,homelessness,news,opinion,Medicaidedicaid,expansion,poverty,poor,shelter,dignity,op-editorial,my view,deseret News,Salt Lake Tribune,Salt Lake City,Salt Lake County,Utah

How I Help Today

For the past two weeks, I’ve had guests staying at my apartment. A couple of homeless young men I know are in a pinch, and I decided to help them out. My apartment is small, and they are in my way. They are in my bathroom more than I am, and usually before I can get in there, so I often have to wait. They drink coffee like it’s going out of style, spooning so much sugar into each cup; it’s nauseating to behold. They leave their things laying about. I cook for them, and clean up after them, endlessly it seems.  Dishes and laundry have doubled. To be fair, they have brought take and bake pizza home to help..
My guests are  utter nuisances, and having them here is against subsidized housing rules, and property rules. We are pushing it. I can’t throw them out, though. I wouldn’t feel good about that, in spite of the risks to myself and my home security that I am taking now. I would rather chance getting kicked out of my own apartment than refuse those who need my help. If the shit hits the fan, I’ll deal with that when and if it happens.
There are at least two more homeless young men that I could take in. If they asked me, I could not refuse. I couldn’t turn any of them away. I cannot deny my fellow human beings their fair share of my compassion, often to my detriment. If I were to be unkind, and turn my head to anyone in need, especially friends, I wouldn’t be able to look at myself in the mirror.

Why? Why do I stick my neck out for others? Because it’s right. Because helping other people makes me feel great. Because I hope that if the roles were reversed, there would be many who would reach out and help me, lift me up to level ground, where I can get my bearings, then get things back together.
Help others. Help homeless youth today. Help them every day.
---RGR

The Day the Sky Did Fall

A Special Edition of Rio Grande Report 

I was sleeping on the couch in the living room of an ex-lover. I rose early, went to the bathroom to piss, started a pot of coffee, plopped myself back down on the sofa to wait for the java to brew, and turned on the morning news.
I don’t remember which network I was viewing. I can’t remember the name of the anchor, even though she is well-known, blonde, and very professional.
As she cheerfully recited to us a news item of the day, or set up the tag for the next segment, I saw an airplane move slowly on the screen behind her, which showed the New York City Skyline.
I was surprised by this. I had assumed the backdrop was a fake. You know, like Letterman’s and Leno’s? When I overcame my initial amazement, I began to cover my mouth to hide a gasp. It looked like the plane was going to hit one of the buildings.
And then, it did, exploding, dropping flaming debris, and probably body parts, onto the sidewalks below.
The anchor continued her recitation from the screen in front of her for a few more moments, her smile unwavering. Suddenly she stopped short, put her hand up to her earpiece. She turned to look at the view out the window at her back, frowned, then took a deep breath before telling us that a plane had hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
No shit, I thought. I just saw that.
While she kept us updated, repeating what little information she had on the matter, another airliner entered the screen.
Before it even happened, I knew. I believe then, we all knew. We did not want to know, and we wanted what we knew to be untrue. Our intuition served us well that day, unfortunately. Tears and silence fell across our country as that second plane crashed into the other tower.

Then came The Pentagon. Then a plane headed for The White House crashed in a field. We would learn later that a group of brave passengers thwarted the terrorists.
To me it felt like the start of WWIII, the end of our country, the end  of the world. They, whoever they were, would just keep dropping planes, and/or whatever else they chose to, on us until we descended into chaos. It wouldn’t take long. I suddenly regretted not owning a gun. I suddenly regretted many things, done and undone.
After the field crash, things seemed to level off. We wondered whether we could breathe a cautious sigh of relief now, rescue those in the burning buildings, get to work cleaning up, take time to grieve-individually and across the globe, get an investigation underway to find out who we would have to bomb later, just move on with our lives as we had before.
Everyone knows the climax of this tale, and the entire episode plays out in my mind as I write to you about it. I cannot elaborate, or my mind goes dark. Suffice it to say that the icons of an establishment fell, and thousands of good people’s lives were snuffed out. It was an act of anger, perhaps of misdirected revenge. It was an act of war. It was an act of mass murder.
Never forget that. Forget instead the pointless wars and federal lies and  jihadist or political rhetoric. Remember the human lives these things cost, that they have always cost. This is how we endure, by keeping memories alive, and discarding the darkness. We may not be able to eliminate evil, but we can disperse it.

I would not describe myself as a religious person. Yet, I often quote The Holy Bible.
Thou shalt not kill.
Pretty straightforward, isn’t it?
Remember those lost. Remember the heroes. Remember the fathers and brothers and sisters and mothers, lost or abandoned, and the children left behind. Remember with loved ones, in a place of your choosing. :Leave flowers, burn candles, and just love one another. And tell each other that you do.
Blessed be.

Technorati Tags: 911,9-1-1,9-11,Nine Eleven,nine eleven

---RGR

“Best Practices”

 

A couple of posts ago, I promised you we would explore some effective ways to reduce homelessness.

I try to keep posted about what is happening on the homeless people’s services front, as it is a big mayoral campaign issue. However, at times I get tired of all the statistics and formulas thrown around when we talk about a human issues. I know numbers, usually in the form of dollars and cents, are important for evaluation, but can we throw numbers around to solve the problem of men, women, and children having no place to live?

Of course, money helps. It is a necessary element of life in these times. So it’s good that we have both the Salt Lake County Collective Impact Steering Committee and the Salt Lake City Homeless Services Evaluation Committee exploring the most efficient ways to provide services homeless people need every day. There are numerous stakeholders represented on these committees. I have said that I feel the CISC more fairly represents everyone. I stand by that. I  also said that I don’t think we can totally eliminate homelessness. I stand by that statement as well, with the addition that in order to reduce homelessness noticeably, we need to look at prevention. We simply need to make sure that individuals and families do not fall inot homelessness in the first place.

How might this be accomplished?

 

1) Raise the federal minimum wage.

Many of our homeless brothers and sisters work, approximately 40%. The problem is the type of work and pay available to unskilled, homeless workers, and those just starting out in the job market. If you are looking to move out of Mom and Dad’s, save money for college, or lack experience and education, the current minimum wage just does not cut it. $10/hour would be a good start.

2) Guarantee education for everyone.

President Obama recently stated that he would like to see every citizen receive 2 years of free community college. For those interested in trades, this is an excellent idea.

3) Work closely with national & local organizations that remodel old buildings, or build new homes.

Habitat for Humanity is a well-known entity that provides homes for those willing to help build them. There are college student programs to rehabilitate blighted residences. I look around our valley and see so many empty buildings and homes that could be used in any number of ways to house homeless people, or a homeless service provider in need of a better locale.

So there are three ways to start alleviating the shame, pain, and struggle that too many our fellow human beings endure daily. It’s possible some of these solutions are already being explored or enacted.

Most importantly, I want to impress upon leaders, providers, businesses, volunteers, and anyone who wants to truly make an impact, that the best way to know what a person needs is to ask them. Treat each “case” as an individual, a human being, a neighbor.

The aforementioned committees are finalizing recommendations. It was good to hear both Mayor Ralph Becker and challenger Jackie Biskupski say that they do not favor moving services. Get to one of the meetings, or both, in October, learn about the process, meet the people who are shaping policies regarding homeless people, possibly for years to come.

---RGR

LEARN MORE. GET INVOLVED

No Shelter/Services Relocation or Renovation without a Plan for Uninterrupted Shelter/Services 

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Technorati Tags: Rio Grande Report,Salt Lake City,Utah,homelessness,homeless people,policy,Collective Impact,homeless services,homeless news,street news,homeless solutions,blog,blogger,bigriverreport