[Education and Welfare] FW: House Budget Cuts to MO HealthNet Blind Pention recipients

[DeAnna Noriega]

As you can see, he doesn't really say much except that he will take it in to
consideration. 

 

From: Mike Kehoe [mailto:Mike.Kehoe at senate.mo.gov] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 4:17 PM
To: DeAnna Noriega
Subject: RE: House Budget Cuts to MO HealthNet Blind Pention recipients

 

Thank you for your e-mail, DeAnna.  I appreciate the information and your
insights and will absolutely consider the potential effects of budget
decisions as well as the bottom-line effects.

 

Mike

 

 

From: DeAnna Noriega [mailto:quieth2o at ktis.net] 
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2012 6:11 PM
To: Mike Kehoe
Subject: House Budget Cuts to MO HealthNet Blind Pention recipients

 

Dear Senator Kehoe,

There are holes in MO HealthNet, and the budget coming over from the
Missouri House of Representatives is proposing to make them larger. Here are
just a few facts for you to consider:

.       The Blind Pension MoHealth Net coverage received by Blind Pension
recipients is specialized for those who are legally blind and qualified for
this health coverage.  There is unlimited access to eye doctor appointments,
with co-pay for pharmacy.  Straight Medicaid (MoHealthNet) with full
coverage allows only ONE vision exam per 2 years and prescription glasses
every 2 years.  Someone with glaucoma may need to go for Glaucoma and Retina
exams, 6-8 times per year!   

.       This "Medicaid" health coverage for blind pension recipients is
geared toward legal blindness.  It does not allow recipients to receive
transportation (like Logisticare) that accepts straight Medicaid.  

.       The leading cause of blindness is diabetes which can cause not only
blindness, but other major health issues such as kidney failure, heart
disease, fluid retention and neurologic problems like poor circulation and
neuropathy.

.       Other causes might be Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, traumatic brain
injury or other medical conditions that require multiple medications and
specialists to provide care.

.       Removing this program will impact those who have qualified for
Personal Care Attendants to assist them to live independently in their own
homes, forcing them to move to nursing homes at a higher cost to the
taxpayer.

.       The low asset limits placed on other people with disabilities have
forced them to live in abject poverty with funds insufficient to even save
up a cleaning deposit, and first and last month's rent to get in to a decent
apartment. They are thus forced to seek housing in the most dangerous
neighborhoods and unsafe conditions or go on waiting lists for low income
housing vouchers, thus costing the government more in the long run.  

.       If the costs for this program seem high, could it be because the
need for it is also high? To single this program out to sacrifice in the
name of balancing the budget seems to demand that anyone who is unfortunate
enough to lose vision at a time of budget constraint isn't worth allowing a
cut to higher education that no one from that area has asked be reversed. It
feels to the blind community as if the legislature is saying, "Go back to
selling pencils on corners, and give up that part-time job or those dollars
you are saving up to purchase an expensive piece of adaptive equipment you
need to mitigate the loss of your sight. Don't go back to school or seek
training so you can return to the workforce, because if you do, you won't
receive any help to get back on your feet."

Thank you for listening. Even when we haven't agreed on particular
positions, I know you are open to receiving constituent input and will weigh
the issues carefully before voting.

Sincerely,

 

 

 

DeAnna Quietwater Noriega

5774 Windy Meadows Ln.

Fulton, MO 65251-5442

Cell: 573-544-3511

Email: quieth2o at ktis.net

-- I always wondered why somebody didn't do something about that. Then I
realized I was Somebody. (Lilly Tomlin) 

 

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