Joe,
I have to tell you what I went through this morning. First let me give you a quick background. I was laid off in November. I received four weeks of severance. So that took me into December. I received one unemployment payment at the end of December. Unemployment told me that I needed to refile in January because they look at a different quarter. So I called them the first week of January and they had no clue what I was talking about. DUH!!! So now my unemployment is screwed up. Trying to get through to a claim center is ridiculous. So now my unemployment is under review and received half of what I was supposed to. So instead of just being able to call up and resolve the situation, I have to wait for them to send me a letter with an interview time. What a fiasco this is.
Now let's get to this morning. I went and applied for medical assistance. I have cervical cancer and have to have a total hysterectomy which is scheduled in February. So I go and fill out this application at 8:00 a.m. this morning. Then they take me back the first time to find out why I am applying. They were pretty rude about it. They made me feel like I was some kind of scumbag for even asking. I have the documentation that I have no health insurance as I can't afford the stupid Cobra payments. They wanted to know if I was disabled. I will be disabled for at least six weeks after the surgery. So they said to have a seat and I would be called back. So the second time I go back is 10:30. They told me that I was not eligible because I have no children and am 38 years old applying for benefits. Excuse me? I have worked since I was 14 years old and the time I need some assistance they deny me. WTF? Don't get me wrong the case worker I talked to was wonderful. I started crying because I was so upset. She got teary eyed too. She gave me a bunch of phone numbers with the hope that there is some way that this surgery can be covered. She wanted to approve my application, but she was unable to. This system is really screwed up.
What I really found to be disturbing was listening to the conversations that were going on in the waiting area. They were all talking about the assistance they were getting. They were also having lengthy conversations about illegal drugs, pot, crystal meth, coke, you name it. It is apparently easy to obtain these drugs in Salisbury and there is no short supply. So basically I sat in the waiting room for 2.5 hours listening to all of these people talk about all of the crap they do illegally and then I get told I am not eligible. Needless to say I am pissed. It's messed up. The Health Department may have a program that I might be eligible for so I have an appt. with them. This is just a really screwed up mess that I can't even get medical assistance to help with the medications I have to take. I'm angry, disgusted and frustrated. Then I think if it is this screwed up now, what's it going to be like when Obama gets his garbage passed. God help us all. Thanks for listening.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
34 comments:
Your case screams of the unprofessionalism and lack of caring that has ALWAYS been prevelent in state government. I know because I have worked for the state before. PLEASE copy your post and contact Norm Conway, Jim Mathias, Senator Stoltzfus office about this. It is an election year and even though Lowell is not running again, Norm and Jim are and you better believe they will try to help. Also contract the print and video media - and SBYNEWS.com is the best place to start - in order to shame these agencies into action. I am also sorry about your medical situation and wish you the best of luck in your future.
For your medications, try calling the company that makes your meds. Most of them have programs where you can get the meds at a greatly reduced price or free. It's worth a try.
I know of someone who was told at Social Services their ethnic backround was not among the demographics for them to qualify. I am not trying to be smart or racist but when you over hear these conversations of illegal activities & you see people using food stamps & medical assistance but they're more gold jewelry than Fort Knox and newer cars than Pohanka's sales lot, something is definately wrong.
I am so sorry about your situation. I know exactly what you are talking about. I lost my job in June last year and thank goodness was able to get unemployment. My husband also lost his job a year ago and was a 1099 sub-contractor so he is not eligible. He has since found a job working one day a week. We have 2 children at home.
We were denied medical assistance because I make $100 too much in unemployment. I then stood in line at 7am one Tuesday morning at a local charity to get assistance with our electric bill and some food and listening to all the people out there was eye-opening. Some of the staff in these places make you feel shameful and depressed. These women in the seating area were wearing designer clothes, pulling up in nice cars and talking about how many places they have been and how they haven't paid their bills in months because they go from charity to charity asking for money and always get it.
One young lady even talked about how she uses 2 addresses, one in Maryland and her sister's in Delaware to make sure she gets help with "tons" of toys for her kids for Christmas. They talked about getting high and they are smoking Newport 100's while waiting for a hand out. They were talking about how their boyfriend lived with them and gives them money but they didn't tell any of the places they apply for help. I couldn't afford to smoke and would be ashamed of myself if I were going from place to place asking for a hand-out knowing I didn't really need it. I have worked since I was 15.
This is the first time in 18 years I had to apply for food stamps. I don't intend on staying this way. I am thankful for everything I have and hopeful for the future.
Praying that everyone in need gets the help they need.
Blessings to you all in 2010.
You must be white. They don't like helping white people.
Anon 10:07 You've got to be kidding with that comment!!!
When "Obama gets his garbage passed" you will be able to get the quality and affordable health care that you deserve.
Most commenters on this site feel that health care is some sort of privilege, well tell that to this poor lady. Health care should be a basic human right for all.
10:06
Years ago when my spouse was unemployed I tried to get help with electric also. Sitting there waiting you hear of them talk about how they could pay it if they want to but why bother when they can get it for free. They go from program to program to get everything for free and when they get their welfare checks God only knows what they spend that on.
The people that have recently fell on hard times can not get ANY assistance. The ones that go out and get knocked up are the ones they want to take care of. Does this make ANY sense to anyone? We are punishing the good hardworking folks that just want a hand UP NOT a hand out. Yet we continue to just give hand outs to the ones that don't even help theirselves.
They all know the system because all their friends are abusing the system. YES color does make a difference. Call me racists, at this point I dont really give a rats behind. It is what it is.
If Obama wants to save money , he needs to over haul that program . That is the most abused and medicare is second . No checks and balances . Why do we have to take care of people based on the color of thier skin. It is a generational thing , families are taught at an early age why work when someone is paying the bills and feeding you . What about the earned income credit WOW , they work for 2 months and get thousands back how the @#$% is this right.
10:19
I don't have a racist bone in my body, but if you are white and go to some of these places, you'll soon find out that what 10:07 is saying is true!
anonymous 10:26, the wet pants liberal strikes again. I know, let's save the world. Let's all stop working and suck off those that do for the rest of our lives. No incentive to do anything but get fat, lazy, live in government section 8 housing, food stamps, collect disability, starting to sound familiar Folks?
Joe 10:26 forgot to tell you we must supply this for all non-US citizens also. This is truly the downfall of this country. We cannot supply the whole world with everything it needs. I am so sick of handouts for capible people.
I am sorry you were treated this way and I hope I have some information that may help you. You should be eligible to apply for Medical assistance but due to your age and not having children under the age of 21 you would have to have the doctor complete some medical forms and your case would be referred to the State review Team to determine your eligiblity for the program. This can unfortunately be a long process but you need to get it started as soon as possible. The other option for assistance with medication and primary care is the PAC program, it stands for Primary Adult Care and you should be able to get an application at your local health department or social services. I hope this information helps you and you are able to get the coverage you need.
I am not talking about supplying the whole world with health care, but if I have to pay an extra dollar for a non-US citizen so that this lady can get health care, I am ok with it.
They should make the ones who out there milking the system do something even if it is picking trash on the roads in order to get help with money ,fuel or food.The trash that is out there today are screwing the people that the help is for in first place.The ones that can do something make them do or else.
anonymous 10:41, When I was a child, if there was ever a family that needed such assistance, my family desperately needed it.
Back in the day, we were entirely too proud to suck off government assistance so we started working at 13 years old bringing in anything and everything we could to help support the family.
Shoveling driveways, mowing lawns, whatever we had to do we were out there doing it. Our neighbors were so proud of us because we didn't go on welfare or ask the state to pay our medical expenses.
Today society, (DEMOCRATS) believe they DESERVE it, they've earned it. Take that piece of sh!t JT as an example. Here's a man clearly capable of working a full time job. He sits behind his computer spouting out lies all day long, 7 days a week, yet he's on all kinds of assistance from the state. It's no wonder he's tied in with Lynn Catrhcart, Barrie Tilghman, Mike Dunn and the likes.
While there are truly cases out there where people have EARNED their right to such mentions assistance, JT hasn't worked a full time or even part time job in 10 years. And why should he. Liberals like Chuck, (anonymous) believe every single American deserves the right to free healthcare. Open your eyes Idiots, NOTHING is for free!
A smart public official/representative would design a program where there's an incentive to GET BACK TO WORK.
I'm sorry Folks but Obama and his Staff suck at what they do. It's all about feel good crap for the less fortunate. America has absolutely no pride left. I wonder just how many of these wet pants liberals have taken time off work to head to Haiti to help those in need? Oh, that's right, let the taxpayers pay for everyone to go over there and fix everything. I forgot how government works these days.
Look folks just take a half hour and visit these places and u will see why there are racists still surviving.
This is a terrible situation this lady finds herself in. unfortunately it appears that if you are of a certian socio economic background you will get everything you ask for and if you aren't you wont get a dime. And yes they are very very good at playing the system. I am tired of this crap, and if they are starving how come everyone of them is overweight? and take a look at their nails, where do they get the money to pay for those nails every month? starvation is a great motovator! and if we catch you stealing then you go to jail!
they just want their share of that obama money!
parasites and leeches all of them!
11:13 the truth about why they have such nice nails is that it's status. Status that they don't have to work for a living. This is absolutely as told to me a welfare recipient.
Black have no problem talking about racism, why should we? I was also told I didn't qualify by a small amount. Most of the people doing the interviewing are black. What is a really hell is arrive at 7 AM at Social Services stand in line in the cold for an hour and to have someone walk right past you and cut in line when they unlock the door. I felt I was the wrong color. When I cried they gave me a coupon to go to a food pantry.
Another little trick these "needy" folks have up their sleeve is to visit multiple food pantries and then sell the bags of food for a few bucks.
11:39, you have got to be kidding! Makes me want to get a pair of extra large dog clippers and show up at social services in the morning! Of course I'd need someone with me to hold 'em down while I clip...any volunteers?
I have been in this situation. A few years ago I was a single parent of 2 with a daughter in a wheel chair. She is borderline quadraplegic. I worked 40-50 hours a week at the same company for 10 years. I got laid off so I applied for unemployment and received a few benefits. I also applied for disability to help with my little girls expenses. They gave it to me for a few short months then stopped and sent me a bill. Told me I had to pay it all back. I lived in a home in which I was paying for. Had a car payment and all normal bills. I am still repaying. Fortunately it did not take me long to find another job. I think its a joke people can get disability because the are partially deaf in 1 ear but someone wheelchair bound can not.
We were going to apply for help with our electric...went online, and then saw we made too much. Okay. We understand. A few days later, a woman I work with was saying that she went to SHORE UP to get electric assistance. (She makes way more than me, not counting what her husband makes. Plus, I have two children, she has 1). She said the lady at SHORE UP told her she did not qualify...BUT she told her to write a letter stating that her and her husband were seperated (they're not)...that way they would only have one income to go by and VOILA!! They qualified!!! The woman working at SHORE UP actually TOLD her how to cheat the system!!!!! Tell me how that happens!!!!
Anon 1:47. I can understand what you're saying. It's even harder trying to get disability if you don't have something "physical" such as a cane, wheelchair, etc. My daughter is mentally disabled due to a car wreck. She can't hold down a job at all. But people can't SEE her brain so they figure there's nothing wrong with her. The system is a sham. Bluntly put, if you're black you get the world on a silver platter, but if you're white you just hold your breath until you die.
Joe I'm glad you slipped in there that national health care does not mean "free health care". You're right, nothing is free. However, the plan on the table calls for about a 2.1-2.2 percent payroll deduction for health care. For me (and people in my income range) to pay for a private policy that includes prescription meds, optical and dental, I would certainly spend far more than 2% of my income. The last time I shopped around, an average policy with a hefty deductable would have still cost me about $150 a month. Think about that people, if you make $50k a year, only $1000 a year for complete full no-questions-asked coverage. I, for one, think that is a bargain.
Rob S
This letter outrages me because while I have not battled a life threatening disease like cervical cancer,I have witnessed how the system works and it totally sucks!If you have children and no income you can get a medical card but as soon as you get a job they cut off the medical card and expect you to buy insurance for $100+ a week from your employer.Theres a big incentive NOT to work.They wont extend low cost coverage to you until you get on your feet but they WILL continue to pay for people to produce unplanned illegitimate children by the dozens.....
And some of you who have never been inside a welfare office really need to visit one and see that this writer is NOT exaggerating!The clients cars out in the parking lot are nicer than those of the people who work there at the welfare office!Rims as far as the eye can see.
I wont touch the race issue,but I have observed it helps if you have children of multiple parentage and heritage when you want benefits.Coach pocketbooks and cell phones are also helpful.If you look and act like you really need it,you are screwed.
I know someone who works with this program and they actually have to post signs telling these lazy morons to turn off their cell phones while they are being interviewed for eligibility!Until something changes,nothing will.Whatever happened to getting married and then having children when you could afford them?Hell,what happened to knowing WHO fathered your kids?Theres so much the general public does not know about how these scams work.If you claim you "cant recall" who fathered your baby,your babys daddy can get off scot free w/o paying support.Lovely system.If I had no pride,I would just quit my job and live like a Queen too.
All you "blacks get the world..." folks are deranged. Ride down to D.C. or Balt. to see what "blacks get the world..." looks like. Go up to north Philly and see how that "silver platter" feels. Don't be mad because even though you had that great job and you are sooo hardworking and soooo smart you still didn't make proper disaster plans. How about you take a look at the people who went to crappy schools, grew up with single parents in drug/crime infested neighborhoods and see how easy it is for them to cope when they get hit with the same pitfalls (illness, accidents, layoffs) of life. It sucks, period, no matter what race you are. The sad fact is that many of these people aren't around to tell you their story; it's because they die waiting for assistance.
It's ridiculous the way people who honestly need help can't get it but the worthless people of the world just get everything handed to them. I know a worthless mother who doesnt even have custody of her children anymore due to being unfit..lives with her parents, sits back and collects unemployment, gets food stamps, and medical assistance PLUS is having the state pay for her to go to school..so basically she is getting free school, food, money and insurance for being a dead beat...and has NO shame in it whatsoever..
In our Delmarva power bill they have a fun for people that need help with their electric. Where does that money go? I think shore up is funded by the state.
The fact of the matter is this is the truth about the system the funny thing is the people who do get employment should have to take a pee test because most of them are drug addicts or DRUG DEALERS!!! There is a difference in loosing your job and needing help and loosing your job and rather screw the system over like most of the unemployment individuals are! Good luck too you but the system will never change those individuals that get it will keep getting it because they know how to work the system!!!
so from the comments I am reading, the consensus is if you are white then you should get benefits because you are hardworking and if not white then you probably don't deserve handouts because you are either a drug addict or lazy or both and when times were tough for the white folks years ago they worked even harder and made it work...
The big difference is years ago, the cost of living was less. Medical costs were less. A family could survive on a single wage. The upper income tax rate was through the roof so the middle class could thrive. The entire system is broken, from bottom to the top. Medicine is an entirely capitalistic model. So, if you are expecting free care to be convienent, think again. The capitalist system you love so much is what caused this mess.
In my chosen line of work the DOT requires that I be subject to random, unannounced drug tests. I think it only fitting that if I am required to meet this requirement to earn my income, then ANYONE accepting government funds (government workers as well) should have to submit to the same criteria.
When my husband got laid off a few years back I went in there and filled out all the paperwork to get assistance I was there from 8am till 2pm just to be told I would get 10$ in food stamps. This was after I sat next to a woman with 6 kids . This woman told me how she took her husband up for child support, so that they could get the free food and Cash assistance and Purchase of Care. That with his income and hers they made too much money to get any kind of help so she told them he moved out that they were separated..when really he still lives with her. She has the money taken out of his check automatically and when she gets the check she just cashes it and gives the money back to him. can you imagine how much money and cash assistance she got for having 6 kids? probably close to 1000$ a month in food.
6:34pm anon - the money in the delmarva power bill goes to salvation army.
Post a Comment