Trump's "Big Ugly Bill" will kick 12 million people off Medicaid, many of whom are disabled. They're trying to convince the public that we're scammers in order to justify leaving us to die.
The thing that really gets my goat is how much they claim to value "life". If you're a woman having a miscarriage you can't get a D&C unless the fetus is well and truly dead even if the pregnant woman is nearly dead. And heaven forbid these babies are born disabled. So now what. Are we going to tell parents that their preemie could possibly be saved but it will cost $1 million and insurance won't pay. Because Medicaid pays for about 60% of complicated births and saving these babies so where is the right to life then?
I couldn’t agree more Rebecca! What they’re doing to women is appalling and the opposite of “life”
Look at Adriana Smith. They forced her family to keep her body alive after brain death because she was 9 weeks pregnant, and billed them for it! The baby is in the NICU and the family has to fundraise to avoid bankruptcy. Because they don’t care about life or providing for the most vulnerable.
They care about control and making themselves richer.
I just want to say how grateful I am for your voice and all the energy you're spending speaking up for all of us here in the US. You understand what's happening better than many here do. I wonder if your outside view helps with that? But I know it costs energy you don't really have to spare, and that's an extra gift. I hope you know it is making a difference.
Thank you Katie! I think in some ways the distance does help. I’ve got major issues with Canada’s healthcare system but at the same time I’m fiercely proud that we give everyone healthcare and don’t leave folks behind.
I want my disabled community in the US to have healthcare as a basic human right, because we all deserve that.
When I became disabled NH was fighting medicaid expansion and I was years into fighting for SSDI so I wasn’t “legally disabled” yet. They didn’t want to give me Medicaid because they said if I had spine surgery I might not be disabled so I didn’t qualify per their definition of disabled. I don’t even remember how I got a spine surgeon to agree to see me and get paid later, but he wrote a letter confirming I wasn’t a surgical candidate so I could take it to the fair hearing. It took like 10 months and it was terrifying to have $0 income and no healthcare, especially as a sick person.
An old friend loses her SSI whenever her kids’ dad pays child support because that makes her over income even though it’s not supposed to be HER $, social security says it is for SSI income, so she technically isn’t “disabled” when that happens. She won’t be able to get a job. She’s “legitimately disabled”.
Oh I forgot to add that back then the specialists I saw while I had been able for COBRA all charged hundreds of dollars to fill out forms & that wasn’t something insurance would cover. I was fortunate that I had a personal injury attorney willing to front the $ but if there wasn’t some money coming from someone I wouldn’t have been able to get the necessary forms completed for SSDI.
Plus, if people lose medicaid while they’re trying to get on disability they’ll be denied for not being under the continuous care of a doctor.
I can’t even imagine how scary that must have been.
That’s why I believe everyone needs universal healthcare. It’s bad enough that you often lose your job, income and savings when you become disabled…. But you also need a heck of a lot more medical care.
It’s grossly unfair to expect people to pay for it when they’ve just lost everyone.
A shout out to the disabled people whose conditions just about allow them to work (for now, that could change at any moment) but only if they are in agony every day because of the toll the work takes on their bodies. They work in agony every day. Too many people are in this awful situation.
Such a good point Emma! Before my hysterectomy I used to regularly pass out at work and get taken to the ER for blood loss. I would spend all night there getting IV fluids and blood transfusions and then drag myself into work the next day.
It was so hard on my body but I needed a paycheque. There’s countless disabled people in that exact same situation, and it makes me so angry to watch this admin paint most of us as fakers and scammers
Oof! Yup. I depend on Medicaid and spouse depends on VA disability benefits. They’ve already lost VA doctors to DOGE cuts and arbitrary requirements. We’re both awkwardly hoping “enough” suffering happens before mid-terms.
So much of what you wrote here about how many disabled people disguise their disability is exactly what I do and have done since I was a kid. I always get this weird disappointed look from others after they find in casual conversations that I'm on disability. I've only posted about it a few times on social media but, quickly delete it after a few hours only because of how private I am. I'm now having to work again because financially I don't make enough to live. I was receiving SSDI before I started working and because Social Security employees were only checking my paycheck records every two or three months, even though I sent them every month, I ended up being one of the lucky ones they claim I owed them that money. They audited me twice and both times they realized they screwed up. Also, they weren't even factoring in the money I was paying into social security so they had to increase my monthly installment plus they sent me a lump sum of the money they owed me. Now I'm homeless lol. I don't even make enough money to qualify for section 8 housing. Without going into a long drawn out explanation of how this happened, I'll just say that sometimes family just doesn't care and don't want their life to be "challenged". A few of my coworkers know and a couple have helped but they don't seem to understand that I need help on a weekly basis. I am thankful though for the help I have received. I don't know what I'll do if I lose my car or it brakes down. When you said that disabled people deny that they have it, this truly gave words to thoughts I have of myself. I have been denying it since I was diagnosed 20 years ago. I keep thinking I'm making it up and I then push myself to work more which has caused certain aspects of what I deal with to become worse. I'm happy to have come across your article. It has helped me to feel seen.
Thanks Bob, it's a big bill so it takes a lot to parse through but it's important to understand that it will give tens of billions more to ICE, tax cuts to the wealthy and kick millions off their healthcare.
I worked in animal rescue for several years, and it feels like they have the same mindset as puppy mill owners. Keep the females pregnant and producing but kill any puppies that have something wrong with them because they won't be profitable. I guess that's a lot of working farms. Keep the livestock producing profits. Any that don't produce a return on investment go out back of the barn and get put down.
While we're not dealing with Medicaid, I've been helping my 25-year-old son navigate the insurance/health care system since his cancer diagnosis; even that requires a lot of time and energy (which he doesn't have, because he's sick). I can't imagine having to jump through all the hoops to "prove" you're the right kind of disabled.
Mr Shay came in and literally proved my point spectacularly. I’m unsure if he realizes that, but for others reading please see his comment for an example of why we must fight so hard.
Too many people believe this propaganda and it puts our lives at risk.
I completely agree. "Long festering" is a great way to describe it. They've basically just been emboldened to share what they've always felt but used to keep quiet.
I had symptoms of the disease that finally disabled me in childhood. I still managed to work more than 20 often miserable years before becoming a “burden to the taxpayers.” My social security prices me out of Medicaid eligibility so I only get Medicare.
Analysis of the disability system in our country has suggested that the application process for SS disability is meant to be challenging enough to have many die off before collecting benefits. I managed to put together a good application (my caseworker said disability attorneys should hire me) to complete it late November right before Thanksgiving, get a call for my banking information and to be told the evaluator would be calling with a couple questions but they expected me to be approved in January and my first payment in February.
My sister inherited our family curse, which damages your cerebellum over time, and she didn’t let me help her. She applied with an attorney and it took her almost four years (attorneys get paid 25% of the back pay award, and making it take longer for your approval improves their paycheck up to a capped amount; they are paid better to have you not be approved).
As it is, the system is still punitive - if you become disabled, you have six months where you cannot receive benefits, and there is a two year delay between onset of eligibility and when you qualify for Medicare, which can be financially devastating.
Now we have to worry that we may lose benefits, especially if we speak out against the regime, and even face arrest for “not being able to care for ourselves.” Their end goal is eugenics. Only wealthy people are worth saving. The poorer and more vulnerable you are, the harder they will be trying to let you die. 😞
I'm so sorry for everything you're going through, and how awfully punitive the system is. As you said it's designed to keep as many people from receiving benefits as possible. They hope you die before being approved.
I'm glad you were able to get some benefits and I sincerely hope you don't lose them.
Guns don’t kill people. DOGE, REPUBLICANS in the House and Senate, DHS, HHS and everyone who supports the cuts…is killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people
Hi! I am available to help with social security disability applications to the best of my ability. It has been 15 years, so things might be a little changed, but I can give sound advice. I was approved quickly, got a friend approved quickly (sadly, he was dying of cancer, and after the mandatory six months of no benefits he got exactly one week of social security before his death; at least it was easy for them to set up the survivor benefits for his family from existing paperwork). I got another person approved during reconsideration. But most of this was at least ten years ago. I’m not an attorney - I’m disabled with an ever growing list of illnesses.
Losing my husband five years ago meant losing $30,000/year in income. It has been a major struggle existing on $1500/month, and when I was hospitalized last year for acute kidney failure (second time in four years at that point), the hoops to get Medicaid to cover part of my hospital bill through “spend down” were more than I could get through and I threw up my hands and gave up. 😐
Anyhow - I subscribed. I write about current political issues, and try to encourage people to unite to hold our elected officials accountable for bad policy (by voting them out!) and working together to change our country for the better. Welcome any who want to follow or subscribe (since even free subscriptions make me more visible!).
The sheer amount of money diverted from support programs to the ICEstapo is staggering. I worry for all Americans, especially those who need social supports.
I'm confused. Doesn't Medicare currently cover people who are non-disabled but poor? Aren't those the people who will have a work requirement?
It certainly does seem that people who are already on disability shouldn't have to prove again that they're disabled to get a medical exemption to this new work rule.
Yes it does cover those people but statistics show that it's a very small number who are non-disabled and not working. Yet this admin keeps saying there's 30 million 'able bodied people' on Medicaid and there simply aren't. So it seems as though they will be forcing disabled people to 'prove' they're still sick as well.
The thing that really gets my goat is how much they claim to value "life". If you're a woman having a miscarriage you can't get a D&C unless the fetus is well and truly dead even if the pregnant woman is nearly dead. And heaven forbid these babies are born disabled. So now what. Are we going to tell parents that their preemie could possibly be saved but it will cost $1 million and insurance won't pay. Because Medicaid pays for about 60% of complicated births and saving these babies so where is the right to life then?
I couldn’t agree more Rebecca! What they’re doing to women is appalling and the opposite of “life”
Look at Adriana Smith. They forced her family to keep her body alive after brain death because she was 9 weeks pregnant, and billed them for it! The baby is in the NICU and the family has to fundraise to avoid bankruptcy. Because they don’t care about life or providing for the most vulnerable.
They care about control and making themselves richer.
I just want to say how grateful I am for your voice and all the energy you're spending speaking up for all of us here in the US. You understand what's happening better than many here do. I wonder if your outside view helps with that? But I know it costs energy you don't really have to spare, and that's an extra gift. I hope you know it is making a difference.
Thank you Katie! I think in some ways the distance does help. I’ve got major issues with Canada’s healthcare system but at the same time I’m fiercely proud that we give everyone healthcare and don’t leave folks behind.
I want my disabled community in the US to have healthcare as a basic human right, because we all deserve that.
When I became disabled NH was fighting medicaid expansion and I was years into fighting for SSDI so I wasn’t “legally disabled” yet. They didn’t want to give me Medicaid because they said if I had spine surgery I might not be disabled so I didn’t qualify per their definition of disabled. I don’t even remember how I got a spine surgeon to agree to see me and get paid later, but he wrote a letter confirming I wasn’t a surgical candidate so I could take it to the fair hearing. It took like 10 months and it was terrifying to have $0 income and no healthcare, especially as a sick person.
An old friend loses her SSI whenever her kids’ dad pays child support because that makes her over income even though it’s not supposed to be HER $, social security says it is for SSI income, so she technically isn’t “disabled” when that happens. She won’t be able to get a job. She’s “legitimately disabled”.
Oh I forgot to add that back then the specialists I saw while I had been able for COBRA all charged hundreds of dollars to fill out forms & that wasn’t something insurance would cover. I was fortunate that I had a personal injury attorney willing to front the $ but if there wasn’t some money coming from someone I wouldn’t have been able to get the necessary forms completed for SSDI.
Plus, if people lose medicaid while they’re trying to get on disability they’ll be denied for not being under the continuous care of a doctor.
I can’t even imagine how scary that must have been.
That’s why I believe everyone needs universal healthcare. It’s bad enough that you often lose your job, income and savings when you become disabled…. But you also need a heck of a lot more medical care.
It’s grossly unfair to expect people to pay for it when they’ve just lost everyone.
It should be a basic human right.
A shout out to the disabled people whose conditions just about allow them to work (for now, that could change at any moment) but only if they are in agony every day because of the toll the work takes on their bodies. They work in agony every day. Too many people are in this awful situation.
Such a good point Emma! Before my hysterectomy I used to regularly pass out at work and get taken to the ER for blood loss. I would spend all night there getting IV fluids and blood transfusions and then drag myself into work the next day.
It was so hard on my body but I needed a paycheque. There’s countless disabled people in that exact same situation, and it makes me so angry to watch this admin paint most of us as fakers and scammers
Oof! Yup. I depend on Medicaid and spouse depends on VA disability benefits. They’ve already lost VA doctors to DOGE cuts and arbitrary requirements. We’re both awkwardly hoping “enough” suffering happens before mid-terms.
I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine. I hope more people pay attention and start advocating for people in your exact situation!
I know Trump also signed an executive order allowing VA doctors to deny care based on political affiliation or marital status. It’s such scary stuff.
So much of what you wrote here about how many disabled people disguise their disability is exactly what I do and have done since I was a kid. I always get this weird disappointed look from others after they find in casual conversations that I'm on disability. I've only posted about it a few times on social media but, quickly delete it after a few hours only because of how private I am. I'm now having to work again because financially I don't make enough to live. I was receiving SSDI before I started working and because Social Security employees were only checking my paycheck records every two or three months, even though I sent them every month, I ended up being one of the lucky ones they claim I owed them that money. They audited me twice and both times they realized they screwed up. Also, they weren't even factoring in the money I was paying into social security so they had to increase my monthly installment plus they sent me a lump sum of the money they owed me. Now I'm homeless lol. I don't even make enough money to qualify for section 8 housing. Without going into a long drawn out explanation of how this happened, I'll just say that sometimes family just doesn't care and don't want their life to be "challenged". A few of my coworkers know and a couple have helped but they don't seem to understand that I need help on a weekly basis. I am thankful though for the help I have received. I don't know what I'll do if I lose my car or it brakes down. When you said that disabled people deny that they have it, this truly gave words to thoughts I have of myself. I have been denying it since I was diagnosed 20 years ago. I keep thinking I'm making it up and I then push myself to work more which has caused certain aspects of what I deal with to become worse. I'm happy to have come across your article. It has helped me to feel seen.
I’m so sorry for your struggles Nichole and I’m glad this made you feel seen.
So many of us deny it, and a lot of us understand that family can abandon you just for being sick.
You’re not alone, and I’m glad you have some coworkers in your life supporting you! You deserve that and more.
I completely understand posting and then deleting, I did that for years too.
Even now if I share my disabled ginger articles on my “personal” socials, people unfriend me. They get upset. They ghost.
So many absolutely can not handle disability and they take it out on us.
It’s not fair and it’s one of the things I hope to change with my advocacy.
I haven't yet had time to review the bill in question but thank you for your helpful insights
As always, Bob
Thanks Bob, it's a big bill so it takes a lot to parse through but it's important to understand that it will give tens of billions more to ICE, tax cuts to the wealthy and kick millions off their healthcare.
I worked in animal rescue for several years, and it feels like they have the same mindset as puppy mill owners. Keep the females pregnant and producing but kill any puppies that have something wrong with them because they won't be profitable. I guess that's a lot of working farms. Keep the livestock producing profits. Any that don't produce a return on investment go out back of the barn and get put down.
Guess who the livestock are in this scenario?
If only more people would realize it... but it seems most won't even try to understand the risk facing them.
While we're not dealing with Medicaid, I've been helping my 25-year-old son navigate the insurance/health care system since his cancer diagnosis; even that requires a lot of time and energy (which he doesn't have, because he's sick). I can't imagine having to jump through all the hoops to "prove" you're the right kind of disabled.
💜 to you for all you do.
I'm so glad he has you to help! It's so hard to do without support!
Mr. Shay: You parrot slogans fairly well.🦜
Mr Shay came in and literally proved my point spectacularly. I’m unsure if he realizes that, but for others reading please see his comment for an example of why we must fight so hard.
Too many people believe this propaganda and it puts our lives at risk.
He has never dealt with a disability himself. Poor idiot man…
Thank you for sharing . Trump and his MAGA are ripping the bandaid off of hate /fear in this country . This infected gash has been long festering .
I completely agree. "Long festering" is a great way to describe it. They've basically just been emboldened to share what they've always felt but used to keep quiet.
I had symptoms of the disease that finally disabled me in childhood. I still managed to work more than 20 often miserable years before becoming a “burden to the taxpayers.” My social security prices me out of Medicaid eligibility so I only get Medicare.
Analysis of the disability system in our country has suggested that the application process for SS disability is meant to be challenging enough to have many die off before collecting benefits. I managed to put together a good application (my caseworker said disability attorneys should hire me) to complete it late November right before Thanksgiving, get a call for my banking information and to be told the evaluator would be calling with a couple questions but they expected me to be approved in January and my first payment in February.
My sister inherited our family curse, which damages your cerebellum over time, and she didn’t let me help her. She applied with an attorney and it took her almost four years (attorneys get paid 25% of the back pay award, and making it take longer for your approval improves their paycheck up to a capped amount; they are paid better to have you not be approved).
As it is, the system is still punitive - if you become disabled, you have six months where you cannot receive benefits, and there is a two year delay between onset of eligibility and when you qualify for Medicare, which can be financially devastating.
Now we have to worry that we may lose benefits, especially if we speak out against the regime, and even face arrest for “not being able to care for ourselves.” Their end goal is eugenics. Only wealthy people are worth saving. The poorer and more vulnerable you are, the harder they will be trying to let you die. 😞
I'm so sorry for everything you're going through, and how awfully punitive the system is. As you said it's designed to keep as many people from receiving benefits as possible. They hope you die before being approved.
I'm glad you were able to get some benefits and I sincerely hope you don't lose them.
Guns don’t kill people. DOGE, REPUBLICANS in the House and Senate, DHS, HHS and everyone who supports the cuts…is killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people
Hi! I am available to help with social security disability applications to the best of my ability. It has been 15 years, so things might be a little changed, but I can give sound advice. I was approved quickly, got a friend approved quickly (sadly, he was dying of cancer, and after the mandatory six months of no benefits he got exactly one week of social security before his death; at least it was easy for them to set up the survivor benefits for his family from existing paperwork). I got another person approved during reconsideration. But most of this was at least ten years ago. I’m not an attorney - I’m disabled with an ever growing list of illnesses.
Losing my husband five years ago meant losing $30,000/year in income. It has been a major struggle existing on $1500/month, and when I was hospitalized last year for acute kidney failure (second time in four years at that point), the hoops to get Medicaid to cover part of my hospital bill through “spend down” were more than I could get through and I threw up my hands and gave up. 😐
Anyhow - I subscribed. I write about current political issues, and try to encourage people to unite to hold our elected officials accountable for bad policy (by voting them out!) and working together to change our country for the better. Welcome any who want to follow or subscribe (since even free subscriptions make me more visible!).
This is such a kind offer Lisa! I hope others see this and take you up on it!
The sheer amount of money diverted from support programs to the ICEstapo is staggering. I worry for all Americans, especially those who need social supports.
I'm confused. Doesn't Medicare currently cover people who are non-disabled but poor? Aren't those the people who will have a work requirement?
It certainly does seem that people who are already on disability shouldn't have to prove again that they're disabled to get a medical exemption to this new work rule.
Yes it does cover those people but statistics show that it's a very small number who are non-disabled and not working. Yet this admin keeps saying there's 30 million 'able bodied people' on Medicaid and there simply aren't. So it seems as though they will be forcing disabled people to 'prove' they're still sick as well.
*Medicaid
*Medicaid