Medicaid. Is it being abused?

Specialties Emergency

Published

Medicaid was a great idea when first introduced to assure that even the very poor could get quality health care. I just wonder when I see someone drive up in a newer car come up to the triage desk in designer clothes and lots of gold jewelry and they are on medicaid. I know of many who are the working middle class who are struggling to pay their own insurance premiums. Why do so many folks get a free ride? Or am I missing something here?

Specializes in Public Health, DEI.
No, you didn't say that. I said, "folks like you"...I didn't say you personally. What I should have added was the word "some" before that. My error. It's your opinion that I am oversensitive, but I disagree. I certainly believe it is covertly done in arguments though, not just on here but in society today.

Having an ultra liberal twin brother and an ultra liberal best friend, I'm pretty well aware of different opinions. And we all get along great.

It isn't my opinion that you're anything. I said "perhaps", meaning maybe you are and maybe you aren't. I was just trying to find some explanation for your claim that there are people who consider you racist or ignorant, when I have yet to see anyone use those words in print.

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So what do you suggest be done? I have an idea. Pregnant and go into labor, illegal, ship their a** back across the border before they can give birth. And make sure you hold their legs together to impede their ability to deliver until you drop them off on their side of the border. In this manner, you save tax dollars and make one less citicizen to grab your California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas tax money and clog up your ERs, school systems, etc, etc. And if you have a baby in this country and you are illegal, we will tie your tubes, solving two problems--you can't have any more kids and you can't use up our tax dollars, by coming back here to deliver.

Oh my goodness! Well the first thing that needs to stop is if you have a baby here, that baby is automatically citizen. You don't see people flying to France or England or Tahiti to have babies because most countries don't have this particular law.

Did you read that first article I posted? It explained the second thing that needs to stop in California which is the definition of emergency service is way too broad. The article stated that in Texas if it is not emergent (with stricter well defined guidelines), people are told they can be seen but they will be cash pay - or they are turned away.

I think those two things alone would solve most of the problem right there.

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I understand full well what your point was. My point, which is the one I'm attempting to make, after all, I suggested you post something to document that undocumented immigrants get full scope Medi-Cal. Instead, you posted a bunch of information about emergency Medi-Cal, which, while interesting, merely strengthened what I was saying.

What?!? That makes no sense. Fine, illegal aliens don't get "full scope Medi-Cal". However, it doesn't matter what they CALL the Medi-Cal they are getting - that is just semantics. Because whether it is "emergency" or "full scope" if an illegal immigrant family can easily USE IT ALL THE TIME just like any citizen who gets Medi-Cal.

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Is Medicaid being abused?

YUP!

no news there. In Kentucky, If you have medicaide you get a cab ride from the ER to home or a voucher. If you are retired and old and living with Medicare, you better call a family memeber or walk. A cab ride is not covered.

Joke. Its become that. The people who have it will tell you, proudly at triage how they got it and are getting over. They know and will tell anyone who listens. Just nobody listens expect the triage nurse and we cannot say anything.

Its the job.

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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.
What?!? That makes no sense. Fine, illegal aliens don't get "full scope Medi-Cal". However, it doesn't matter what they CALL the Medi-Cal they are getting - that is just semantics. Because whether it is "emergency" or "full scope" if an illegal immigrant family can easily USE IT ALL THE TIME just like any citizen who gets Medi-Cal.

Forget it.

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Specializes in ICU, step down, dialysis.

Never said anyone used it here in print here...I did say insinuate though. And I did state I don't necessarily mean here on Allnurses.

I will try to make this more clear.I am concerned that a certain element of our society with certain opinions, do not allow free flow of debate by accusing others of things such as...for example...ignorance, racism, lack of compassion, cold hearted ness etc. In other words, they name call, although may not use exactly the words I have stated (those were examples). The name calling can be insidious, and frequently is. I also mean this on a general level, not just on this topic alone. I have probably failed to make myself clear though when I ventured out beyond this, however, and I can live up to that and attempt to explain it. To be on topic, this is what I mean... on this thread, I have seen some chiding of ER nurses and telling them that she/he should have more compassion for the patients, or they are guilty of being cold hearted. Because of the large number of ER nurses who share this opinion (abuse of the ER/Medicaid) that I personally know, and also see here on Allnurses, and that is just about closing in on 100% of them, to me personally there must be some element of truth to this, just by the sheer volume of agreement. When I see so many voice this in agreement, then a few others belittle them (again, it is my opinion they are being belittled here) with telling them how what they feel is wrong, then I have a tendency not to believe the latter opinion, but believe the former. They are the ones in trenches (and God bless 'em for that!!!) It is not productive to just make a blanket statement like this (you are cold hearted, or insert whatever you want here) and that's what I have a problem with. If it was one or two people making a statement in agreement with this abuse, that is not what I am talking about. There are too many ER nurses out there who truly believe this. Are they ALL wrong?? In my opinion, no. And when I hear a few on here state, whether upfront or insinuate, say that they have no compassion, they are not understanding, etc, that, to me, is name calling. Then I ventured into my real concern here, which stretches beyond this thread and topic; that debating an issue in this manner, is unproductive and may lead to the development of something that neither side ultimately wants. Ignoring or belittling a large number of people who share that opinion, whether it be this topic, illegal immigration, etc, is dangerous. That is my opinion. Of course you have the right to disagree with this, as anyone else does.

Now with my best friend who has a liberal point of view, if her and I were to discuss this, it would have not ventured into this. She would not have said "Didi, you are just a burned-out, cold-hearted, battle ax of a nurse and you need to get out of nursing". (DISCLAIMER: Mercyteapot, nor anyone else, did not make this particular statement here online). She would have said, "Why do you feel this way?" then presented her POV without making this kind of statement. I deeply respect her opinions, and deeply respect that she can debate me without any kind of anger or (once again, in my opinion) the covert name calling that I see with all kinds of issues today, not just this one alone.

Please don't get in to another "I didn't say that" because that is irrelevent to this debate, I didn't say you personally said this, which I think was pretty obvious or else I would have quoted you on it. But I do suspect you are in agreement with it, and that is why I targeted you personally. Believe it or not, I am interested in your point of view on what I said. But I do want it fairly. I always enjoy a good debate.

It isn't my opinion that you're anything. I said "perhaps", meaning maybe you are and maybe you aren't. I was just trying to find some explanation for your claim that there are people who consider you racist or ignorant, when I have yet to see anyone use those words in print.
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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.
Never said anyone used it here in print here...I did say insinuate though. And I did state I don't necessarily mean here on Allnurses.

I will try to make this more clear.I am concerned that a certain element of our society with certain opinions, do not allow free flow of debate by accusing others of things such as...for example...ignorance, racism, lack of compassion, cold hearted ness etc. In other words, they name call, although may not use exactly the words I have stated (those were examples). The name calling can be insidious, and frequently is. I also mean this on a general level, not just on this topic alone. I have probably failed to make myself clear though when I ventured out beyond this, however, and I can live up to that and attempt to explain it. To be on topic, this is what I mean... on this thread, I have seen some chiding of ER nurses and telling them that she/he should have more compassion for the patients, or they are guilty of being cold hearted. Because of the large number of ER nurses who share this opinion (abuse of the ER/Medicaid) that I personally know, and also see here on Allnurses, and that is just about closing in on 100% of them, to me personally there must be some element of truth to this, just by the sheer volume of agreement. When I see so many voice this in agreement, then a few others belittle them (again, it is my opinion they are being belittled here) with telling them how what they feel is wrong, then I have a tendency not to believe the latter opinion, but believe the former. They are the ones in trenches (and God bless 'em for that!!!) It is not productive to just make a blanket statement like this (you are cold hearted, or insert whatever you want here) and that's what I have a problem with. If it was one or two people making a statement in agreement with this abuse, that is not what I am talking about. There are too many ER nurses out there who truly believe this. Are they ALL wrong?? In my opinion, no. And when I hear a few on here state, whether upfront or insinuate, say that they have no compassion, they are not understanding, etc, that, to me, is name calling. Then I ventured into my real concern here, which stretches beyond this thread and topic; that debating an issue in this manner, is unproductive and may lead to the development of something that neither side ultimately wants. Ignoring or belittling a large number of people who share that opinion, whether it be this topic, illegal immigration, etc, is dangerous. That is my opinion. Of course you have the right to disagree with this, as anyone else does.

Now with my best friend who has a liberal point of view, if her and I were to discuss this, it would have not ventured into this. She would not have said "Didi, you are just a burned-out, cold-hearted, battle ax of a nurse and you need to get out of nursing". (DISCLAIMER: Mercyteapot, nor anyone else, did not make this particular statement here online). She would have said, "Why do you feel this way?" then presented her POV without making this kind of statement. I deeply respect her opinions, and deeply respect that she can debate me without any kind of anger or (once again, in my opinion) the covert name calling that I see with all kinds of issues today, not just this one alone.

Please don't get in to another "I didn't say that" because that is irrelevent to this debate, I didn't say you personally said this, which I think was pretty obvious or else I would have quoted you on it. But I do suspect you are in agreement with it, and that is why I targeted you personally. Believe it or not, I am interested in your point of view on what I said. But I do want it fairly. I always enjoy a good debate.

Didi, after all those paragraphs of "I didn't say you said it" and "I'm talking about in general", you start wrapping it up, "I do suspect you are in agreement with it." That, to me, discredits all your little disclaimers. If I were you, I would respond to what's written in my posts, and leave your "suspicions" to yourself.

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Specializes in ICU, step down, dialysis.

Still nickpicking and not addressing the issue I brought up again. Doesn't discredit me in the least, but certainly discredits you, since you can't seem debate the real issue here, huh? Not one single comment on it.

Nice try. If this is all you can come up with, I'd like to hear from someone else who can debate what I said.

Didi, after all those paragraphs of "I didn't say you said it" and "I'm talking about in general", you start wrapping it up, "I do suspect you are in agreement with it." That, to me, discredits all your little disclaimers. If I were you, I would respond to what's written in my posts, and leave your "suspicions" to yourself.
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Oh my goodness! Well the first thing that needs to stop is if you have a baby here, that baby is automatically citizen. You don't see people flying to France or England or Tahiti to have babies because most countries don't have this particular law.

Did you read that first article I posted? It explained the second thing that needs to stop in California which is the definition of emergency service is way too broad. The article stated that in Texas if it is not emergent (with stricter well defined guidelines), people are told they can be seen but they will be cash pay - or they are turned away.

I think those two things alone would solve most of the problem right there.

Actually, any child born in a foreign country is a citizen of that country. My younger brother was born in the 5th Army Hospital of Frankfort and both of his parents were U.S. citizens. My younger brother was considered a German citizen until my mother had him placed on her passport. And he held dual citizenship for a number of years. So, your contention that ours is the only country that grants automatic citizenship, well it is incorrect.

Take your complaint about the definition of emergency up with the California legislature. They are the ones responsible for changing it. And change might solve some of the problem but just think of the public health problems one would be creating. And one should be aware of the lessening of public health funding over the past twenty years.

Grannynurse:balloons:

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Is Medicaid being abused?

YUP!

no news there. In Kentucky, If you have medicaide you get a cab ride from the ER to home or a voucher. If you are retired and old and living with Medicare, you better call a family memeber or walk. A cab ride is not covered.

Joke. Its become that. The people who have it will tell you, proudly at triage how they got it and are getting over. They know and will tell anyone who listens. Just nobody listens expect the triage nurse and we cannot say anything.

Its the job.

Gee, here in Florida and up in New York, if you are on Medicare and need transportation home, you do get a voucher for a cab ride home. Can't really understand that. Florida is one of the tight wat states and New York is one of the most liberal.

Grannynurse:balloons:

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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.
Actually, any child born in a foreign country is a citizen of that country. My younger brother was born in the 5th Army Hospital of Frankfort and both of his parents were U.S. citizens. My younger brother was considered a German citizen until my mother had him placed on her passport. And he held dual citizenship for a number of years. So, your contention that ours is the only country that grants automatic citizenship, well it is incorrect.

Take your complaint about the definition of emergency up with the California legislature. They are the ones responsible for changing it. And change might solve some of the problem but just think of the public health problems one would be creating. And one should be aware of the lessening of public health funding over the past twenty years.

Grannynurse:balloons:

That's certainly true, regarding babies born in other countries being a citizen. It will never change here; isn't it a constitutional protection? I also don't really think you can accurately compare England and France with the United States, since they don't share a border with any developing nations. However, and I'm sure any of our British members could speak to this, doesn't Great Britian have an immigration problem of their own? (Not addressed to you, specifically, grannynurse, just including it in this post.)

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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.
Still nickpicking and not addressing the issue I brought up again. Doesn't discredit me in the least, but certainly discredits you, since you can't seem debate the real issue here, huh? Not one single comment on it.

Nice try. If this is all you can come up with, I'd like to hear from someone else who can debate what I said.

Your "main" point being which one? All things considered, it does seem as if it really would be a better idea for you not to debate me, but I still must insist that you not mirepresent what I've said or what I think. Whether you have deliberately misspoken or not, you are attributing words and thoughts to me that are not my own, and you have absolutely no right (or grounds) to do so.

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