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Triana

(22,666 posts)
Sun Jan 25, 2015, 07:35 PM Jan 2015

Koch-Owned Kansas Covered Budget Deficit By Tossing Disabled People Off Medicaid

That Kansas "experiment" just keeps getting worse and worse. Between the draconian cuts to public schools, the teacher abuse, and the big tax benefits for the Koch brothers, Sam Brownback has created a Third World country right in the heartland.

And now this news out of Kansas. In order to handle the greater-than-expected deficit, Brownback tossed severely disabled people off Kansas' privatized Medicaid program.

ThinkProgress:

Since Brownback’s inauguration, 1,414 Kansans with disabilities have been forced off of the Medicaid physical disability (PD) waiver. In January of 2013, Brownback became the first governor to fully privatize Medicaid services, claiming he would save the state $1 billion in 5 years without having to cut services, eligibility, or provider payments. Now, under Brownback’s “KanCare,” PD waiver cases are handled by for-profit, out-of-state, Fortune 500, publicly-traded managed care services. Kansas has contracts with three managed care profiteers — United Healthcare, Sunflower State Health Plan (owned by Centene Corporation), and AmeriGroup. Amerigroup and Centene each gave $2,000, Kansas’ maximum allowed contribution, to Brownback’s re-election campaign.

“They wanted to cut my full-time care hours by 76 percent, which all three of my doctors said was totally unrealistic,” said Finn Bullers, a disability rights advocate who suffers from muscular dystrophy, uses a wheelchair, has type 1 insulin-dependent diabetes, and requires a ventilator in his throat to breathe. “Essentially, they wanted three out of every four hours to go away.”


THE REST:

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/10/brownback-tossed-disabled-people-medicaid
13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)
1. Boy oh boy,have the wheels come off
Sun Jan 25, 2015, 07:42 PM
Jan 2015

the wagon in Kansas. And to think these asshole get reelected. Must be Obama's fault.

RKP5637

(67,032 posts)
3. Under robotic control, they just vote R over and over again, no brains engaged and
Sun Jan 25, 2015, 09:06 PM
Jan 2015

when that does happen, they vote with brainwashed brains. It is absolutely pathetic. Kansas is a nice place to be from as in gone. I don't think there is any hope for Kansas, it's way too far over the cliff with generational stupidity when it comes to voting for what is best for them.


onecaliberal

(32,489 posts)
4. Then I guess they liked the death panels after all.
Sun Jan 25, 2015, 09:12 PM
Jan 2015

A lot of states have a lot of ignorant ppl but Kansas probably takes the cake.

RKP5637

(67,032 posts)
6. They've won the award. IMO a lot of states are rather F'ed up, but Kansas wants to
Sun Jan 25, 2015, 09:22 PM
Jan 2015

lead the pack. His platform for the first election as governor (Brownback) was Kansas was going to lead the US in how a state and the US should be run. It was also rumored or in fact stated, he would make a run for president of the US. Pretty clear now how flawed the TeaBagger state is in the great rebirth they planned for themselves and then for all of the US.

onecaliberal

(32,489 posts)
8. Hard to argue with that.
Sun Jan 25, 2015, 10:22 PM
Jan 2015

We can never allow one of these tea hag/ Bircher types to get in the WH. It would be the biggest disaster of our time. They are only 50 seats from getting control of the house of reps.

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
5. If my daughter were in Kansas my urge would be to fight back. Medicaid is still mostly federal
Sun Jan 25, 2015, 09:20 PM
Jan 2015

money. I don't know if there is anything the advocates for the disabled can do but I hope they try.

 

project_bluebook

(411 posts)
7. Snyder, Michigan gov, taxed pensions to pay for business tax breaks
Sun Jan 25, 2015, 10:11 PM
Jan 2015

the satanist crap balls will do anything to appease their master.

Dustlawyer

(10,493 posts)
10. New Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, hasn't even gotten warmed up!
Sun Jan 25, 2015, 10:37 PM
Jan 2015

He will show you some REAL STUPID, just give him a chance! There is something special about this one, mark my words! Perry is just what we call, just flat stupid. Abbott is more of a sneaky, hard-hearted stupid, a weasal if you will.
I do have to give Kansas credit for Brownback. I would put him up against some of our worst idiot RW politicians. He would fit in well here in Texas.

tridim

(45,358 posts)
11. The rich are now richer, that is the ONLY thing Brownback/Koch care about.
Mon Jan 26, 2015, 10:02 AM
Jan 2015

He already knows that he can do anything he wants and still get elected, so why change?

hfojvt

(37,573 posts)
13. not sure the headline is right
Mon Jan 26, 2015, 12:38 PM
Jan 2015

has the state actually saved ANY money with this privatization. Bronwback SAID it would, but HAS it?

In this case, the Greedy Old Party does not really care about saving tax dollars as much as it cares about lining corporate pockets.

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