2.60 a frickin gallon! 2112

OmManiPadmeOmelet

Its my understanding, as a medical biller, that Medicare is federal government medical coverage for old people, the disabled, and or children who cannot afford medical insurance coverage. Not to be confused with welfare benefits, or social security. And you would have these people work for this basic medical care? Also Medicaid is a further medical buttistance program often used as backup to Medicare on the state level. You dont qualify for any federal buttistance because you work a poo minimum wage job(or are one of the middle income group struggling to scrape by) and or are unemployed. You have no medical insurance coverage (nor do millions, yes millions of Americans - its shameful)and are involved in whatever type of accident which lands you in the hospital and a $500,000+ bill that you can never in your lifetime payback. What are you going to do? Same scenario but you are diagnosed with a terminal illness. You have no medical insurance coverage (heh or they cancelled it when you were diagnosed), who is going to foot your medical bills? The hospital will urge you to apply for Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) so they will get paid back at least pennies on the dollar. Should these people not have this basic human care coverage thru their government? (some would say subcare but thats another topic) They should have to 'work for it'? Get real. Do you know that more and more doctors-hospitals do not accept-treat people who are on Medicare-Medicaid? (they want to actually get paid more) People are turned away and end up with substandard care in some central hospital which HAS to by law take the needy. Surely, as in any government program, there is need to scrutinize costs, tighten the splurges with inhouse cleaning etc (thats a whole other discussion)but thats no reason to blame those needing it to 'work for it'.

joanne