Bevin cuts dental, vision benefits to nearly 500K Medicaid recipients

[demmiblue]

Source: Courier Journal/USA Today

Gov. Matt Bevin's administration has abruptly cut Medicaid dental and vision benefits to nearly half a million Kentuckians, prompting an outcry from Democrats who called the Republican governor's decision "rash."

Louisville Democrats will hold a press conference Monday to denounce the decision over the weekend to cut benefits after Bevin's Medicaid overhaul plan was rejected Friday by a federal judge in Washington D.C.

"We are concerned about rash decisions made in response to the court ruling," said state Rep. Joni Jenkins, who will be among those speaking at the 10 a.m. event at 712 East Muhammad Ali Blvd. "We call for thoughtful discussions involving the administration and the many statewide stakeholders in the path forward in assuring Kentucky's working families have healthcare."

Others to appear at Monday's event include U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, state Sen. Gerald Neal and Louisville Metro Council President David James.

Read more: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2018/07/02/dempcrats-blast-matt-bevin-cuts-medicaid-rash/749974002/

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

1. They will poison pill every form of healthcare to the point

of being worthless. Destroying Medicaid...bc they can. Let me guess, more tax breaks for the rich? Bc they have shown how much they appreciate it, and Bevin needs the campaign coffer kick-backs.

[pangaia]

2. REPUBLICANS

All dems need to shout it from the rooftops about everything destructive..

REPUBLICANS cause it...

[3catwoman3]

3. Brings to mind the old...

..."an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" phrase.

[SamKnause]

4. In the new America you don't need to see or chew.

[kimbutgar]

5. What's even sadder those who received these benefits probably voted for him and

Other who’s might need these benefits someday will give Bevin a pass and say he is a good man because he is a pen evangelical Xtian.

[Marthe48]

6. Happy 4th

a term rendered meaningless by crap like bevin

[groundloop]

7. I feel like Kentucky Democrats are being far far too subdued in their response to this

I'm fucking tired of living in a country that doesn't give a shit about its citizens.

No healthcare - too bad. No dental care - so sorry. But we'll cut taxes, that'll make everything better.

I'm afraid the only thing that will force a change in all this is a rebellion.

[DownriverDem]

17. Rebellion?

Sounds good, but I bet trump would then declare martial law & end elections. Do the repubs in KY have a big majority? 500K is a big number. They must not fear their elections.

[BlueMTexpat]

8. Why on earth

do Kentuckians keep voting for GOPers?

They are their own worst enemies.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

12. Part of the brainwashed masses.

Brainwashed by their preachers, politicians and right-wing media.

I worked with everyday folks across the state for decades and most were dedicated, hard working and smart in their jobs. We never talked politics (I would not have allowed it anyway), so this has mostly been kept concealed within their private lives.

We've created a society in America that's fearful, that is driven by consumerism, that no longer uses logic or rationality in thinking, that is selfish and authoritarian, and that stays in hard-core isolated and divided social/religious/political bubbles.

If you figure your question out, please let us know. We have our share of backward, poorly educated folks here, but it's the smart ones that should know better that keep me baffled.

.......... ..........

[Stonepounder]

13. Because the state is Gerrymandered like many other states.

Up until the election by Russia of tRump, even though KY had a Republican legislature, all of its top Executive offices were Democratic. Gov, Lt. Gov, AG. But then the Rethugs managed to take over the Exec as well as the Legislature and we are seeing the results.

[packman]

9. I just told my wife , we made 500k new Dems today in Kentucky

But, she corrected me by saying they would still vote Repuke - sadly, she's right.

[heaven05]

10. RepthugliKKKans say suffer, we don't care

So why should you. Even their dumb base is getting cuts, won't hear much about that news though. They are a trump protected class of aholes in ameriKKKa, protected from the truth, so they will stay ignorant and stupid. Hard combination for a decent person to deal with.

People are trying to ignore the truth. Americans are headed for a showdown with amerKKKans, a group of hate filled, racist white people that have been itching for a 2nd Civil War since 1865. Trump, their 21st Nazi leader has encouraged this. Oh well. Fuck trump and his Brownshirt robot/killers. Yes, the racist police are part of trumps killing machine to put minorities BACK IN THEIR PLACE under white nationalist/supremacists feet.

Won't happen. Won't be any trump/sessions goddamn concentration/extermination camps for me.

[machoneman]

11. Yeah, Kentucky Trump votes can take solace in Malaria's overcoat!

I don't care! Do you?

[BumRushDaShow]

14. I took a look at the KY voter registration stats

Here - https://elect.ky.gov/Resources/Pages/Registration-Statistics.aspx where they have spreadsheets of the registrations.

In a nutshell for June 2018 (as of 6/15/18)-

1,683,898 - Democrats
1,398,953 - Republican
185,505 - Other
92,945 - Independent
8,587 - Libertarian
1,740 - Green
508 - Constitution
98 - Reform
138 - Socialist Workers'

159k male
178k female

3,372,374 - total

Seems there's some work that needs to be done in there!

[djacq]

16. Wake up Kentucky

Kentucky’s gubernatorial election is next year 2019. Democrats and Independents outnumber Republicans. No excuse for full turnout.

[Ohiogal]

15. My right-wing sister complains all the time

that poor people get things for free that she has to pay for. I'm sure that will be the common belief among KY's GOP members.

[Scalded Nun]

18. Hey Kentucky assholes!

You just couldn't stand a Dem governor looking out for your best interests and general so you had to vote this low-life scumbag into office. I'd say you could have seen this coming, but without proper vision care you missed it. I'd say now you have to 'bite the bullet', but wait...no teeth either.

[Grins]

19. "Rash"?

They called it "rash"? They need much better lines. This is an ASSAULT on Kentucky citizens.

Remind them of "Compassionate conservatism". Remind them, "Elections have consequences!" Remind them, "This is what you get when you vote Republican!!! Remind them, "Told'ja!"

[KY_EnviroGuy]

20. We have family and friends directly impacted by this cruel governor and legislature.

Similar to our Federal Government, it's an attack on multiple fronts and mostly to avoid even the slightest tax increase.

However, despite our personal concerns (we live in a urban area), those that will suffer the most are the poor, the children, the elderly and disabled in the remote country areas of the state. As usual with Republicans, they go after those with the least resources and the least voice.

The only solution to this cancer on our society is to vote out every damn one of them, although I can't be too enthusiastic at this stage. Many of these people have been brainwashed to vote Republican and are influenced mostly by their evangelical-minded preachers, a vast right-wing media machine and greedy/selfish local business personalities.

Very sad situation and it's pervasive around the country in rural, sparsely populated areas.......

[Initech]

21. More cruelty brought to us by the Koch Roaches.

[Vinca]

22. Remember the horror story about the little boy who couldn't get dental care for an

abscessed tooth because Medicaid didn't cover it at the time? He ended up dead and left a bill of a couple of millions dollars behind which had to be paid by Medicaid. I don't know why Bevin thinks this is a good idea. He might not care about the kid, but we know he cares about the money.

[Cold War Spook]

23. We are raising our great-grandson.

He is on Medicaid, but if NC messes with it we will go to CHAMPVA and a CHAMPVA supplement. It won't cover dental or vision but 100% of everything else. My wife is on Medicare and CHAMPVA and I am on VA.

[ellie]

24. But the people

losing their benefits voted for this guy. I don't get it.

[Wrz]

25. As a Medicaid recipient in KY...

I am angry at this development. By the skin of my teeth I just barely managed to avoid being one of those affected. I became eligible back in 2014 only when the previous Democratic Governor expanded Medicaid here; but just days ago my MCO (Medicaid insurance company) deemed me as 'medically frail' due to a rare condition and so for now at least I keep my dental and vision benefits. But who knows with the current sociopathic governor.

I'm worried he will de-expand Medicaid here entirely. And then I'll have to wait years for a hopeful outcome in my SSI claim (that I've been waiting to get a hearing before a judge for over a year now for) and then I'd qualify for Medicaid under pre-expansion rules (the disabled).

For those wondering, I received a letter saying I was being put in the 'State - Optional Premium' plan and that the 'PATH requirement' (work requirement) was 'Not Required' in my case. When logging in to Benefind it said I was deemed 'Medically Frail.' I had been worried ever since the election of Bevin as Governor back in 2015 that I was going to get kicked off of Medicaid one day. And then Trump's selection by the electors only made that fear worse, though hopefully THAT at least will be a moot point after the midterms.

P.S.: For anyone wondering which conditions automatically cause you to be categorized as 'medically frail' in Kentucky, check this list: https://kentuckyhealth.ky.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Kentucky%20HEALTH%20Medically%20Frail%20Medical%20Condition%20Guide%20for%20Providers.pdf

The process should be automatic. Your MCO is suppose to use an SQL table (data containing conditions and their codes) to check patient records to see who has which of those conditions, and then it submits the patients that have these conditions to the Kentucky CMS to be moved into the 'State Plan' (full coverage) and not get the inhumane 'Alternative Benefit Plan' (no dental or vision, has mandated premiums and/or copays)

For those who have those conditions but fell through the cracks, you can have your doctor fill out a form to get you manually moved there. 'Medically frail' persons are not subject to the work requirement (even if/when a higher court reinstates it) and premiums are optional (paying them gives access to a 'My Rewards' account, but that is pretty much useless since the medically frail group has dental and vision benefits, which MR is used for with those in the ABP.

[Doreen]

26. I live in Washington and am on SSDI and am on both Medicare

and Medicaid and they have never included visual or dental unless it was deemed a life threatening issue. I just got onto United Health which finally gives me dental and visual. I have found though that since I have one the other is cancelled out and for some things I no longer qualify. I figure it is all going to go away not to long from now.