Spo, the dear, wrote a few days ago about a blogger who commited suicide, after getting sick, losing jobs, losing health care coverage, losing hope and not seeing any way out. When this happens, we have failed as a country to create a civilized society.
Even wolves live in packs, with roles that promote the survival of the pack, not the enrichment of individuals. Self sufficiency is a myth, none of us knows how to do all of the things that need to be done for us to live safely and comfortably. We form societies so we don't have to fend for ourselves. Our society is no stronger than how it treats the most vulnerable member.
The backlog of Social Security disability (SSDI) cases is 1.1-million, with an average wait time of 596 days for an administrative hearing. Congress carries on about fraud, waste and abuse, but the standard for SSDI is that the person is so sick or disabled, that there is no job that the person can do for minimum wage, 20 hours per week. That is pretty sick. This is not a new problem, the backlog was 800,000 cases 20 years ago, and congress appointed a task force to study the issue. Save the money for the task force and hire more administrative law judges, or empower staff to make more judgement calls.
Medicare comes with SSDI, but only after you have been eligible for benefits for 24 months. Simply put, you have to be totally and permanently unable to work for two years before you get help with paying for medical care. When this was implemented in 1965, it was a temporary budget measure. Temporary my ass. This has to be fixed.
If you are similarly disabled, and really-really poor, you qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI.) This "safety net" program brings your income up to $771 for a single person, $1,157 total for a married couple, and then limits what you can own to assure you are forever in poverty. The rules of the program have not been significantly updated in over 50 years. Can you live on $771 a month?
The most vulnerable members of our society need better. As a civilized society, we are committed to one another, and we are failing to fulfill our commitment.
We are all only one serious illness, or injury away from being the person who needs help.
We all need to be mad as hell about this. We need to all vote. We need to ask our politicians hard questions and keep asking until they start giving answers instead of tax cuts. No American should die waiting for help, or because they have given up all hope of help ever being there.
Spew is over.
Sorry, I feel better now.
Are you registered to vote in the next election?
To anyone who reads this well written post and is eligible to vote, then vote for a kinder and more caring society.
ReplyDeleteYes, please!
DeleteGAYmen! HELL YEAH I am registered!
ReplyDeletePS - the hospital bill for RTG's right hip replacement was $65K. JUST THE HOSPITAL. thank the dogs and cats for insurance!
Without insurance, I'd be in a wheelchair or dead.
DeleteA society needs to have a belief in, and commitment to, collective well-being in order to want to create social safety nets for the vulnerable. This has been seriously eroded in the USA since the 1990s by right-wing ideology from Reagan on down, getting worse and worse with each Republican president. It must be rebuilt before you'll see the change you want.
ReplyDeleteReagan has a lot to answer for.
DeleteYes, registered, for what it’s worth. And don’t get me started.
ReplyDeleteEvery vote matters,
DeleteI am being rather gloomy these days so please be patient.
ReplyDeleteWe won't change until we get over our beliefs people fail or succeed due to their own making and if they are ill/suffering it's their fault and I'm not going to pay for their failing.
You are a good person, most people are at heart, good.
Delete