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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Thank you for this. I applied for SSDI in February and I'm not holding my breath, especially since I've been trying to get a neurology appointment since then and haven't gotten a single phone call back from Emory, despite my doctor's office and my calls and filling out of forms. Just getting the appointment to obtain the "proof" that I'm "genuinely" disabled is exhausting. I'm completely broke and depend on my caregiver for nearly all meals and spend the vast majority of every day in bed, unable to get out of it. And this is only my story; there are countless others who are trying or have tried to obtain benefits. It takes a tremendous amount of hope to apply for benefits under Trump, likely to keep them as well. I'm telling myself, forcing myself to hope because I have no other options. Haven't been able to work for many years, but just quit working last year after exacerbating my symptoms by continuing to work long past onset. We submit to this convoluted system designed to make it nearly impossible to receive benefits from it out of desperation. I wouldn't put myself through this if I didn't have to.
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.
Hello, I really appreciate this post and your perspective. But I'd like to point out that I knew two people who got on SSI or SSDI (?), one of which told me she flushes the meds for fibromyalgia and files separate tax returns from husband because their income would be too much. They both were perfectly able to work but chose to go this route. They were my sister-in-laws. My brother is has severe COPD and should be on oxygen is working and health severely deteriorating but cannot get on disability as he needs to not work for a year or so and he cannot afford to do that. I don't know all the details in his case but I just wanted to point out that there certainly is fraud happening. I wish you all the best and appreciate your time in posting this article to bring awareness.
Your premise is flawed. Healthcare is not a human right. It is a service provided by people who need to be compensated.
The Medicaid reforms are designed to incentivize beneficiaries to either work, get education or training to get work, or volunteer. All of these activities are good for the beneficiaries.
Genuinely disabled people will not suffer from these reforms, which are focused on able-bodied beneficiaries who don't have children.
The truth is no one knows how many beneficiaries will be removed from the rolls because it depends on how they respond to the reforms.
The Administration’s tariffs and immigrtion reforms should make more job opportunities to Medicaid recipients and help them become productive and self-sufficient, turning tax takers into taxpayers.
You're wrong a lot, aren't you? Is that your disability?
Yes, I suffered through your article in its excruciating entirety.
No, I didn't prove your point, I completely refuted it.
No, I didn't “fall for propaganda”, I’m simply trying to get the holistic logic of the Trump reform programs through your thick skull.
Fewer imports of foreign goods and labor mean more job opportunities for Americans, which pulls them out of poverty and reduces the cost of entitlements and, thus, the deficit and debt.
Got it?
Unless you're a socialist/communist, this is just common sense.
If you are a socialist or communist, you don't have any common sense, so nothing logical makes sense to you.
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.
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.
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.
Thank you for this.
You’re welcome. Thank you for reading!
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.
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?
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.
Thank you for this. I applied for SSDI in February and I'm not holding my breath, especially since I've been trying to get a neurology appointment since then and haven't gotten a single phone call back from Emory, despite my doctor's office and my calls and filling out of forms. Just getting the appointment to obtain the "proof" that I'm "genuinely" disabled is exhausting. I'm completely broke and depend on my caregiver for nearly all meals and spend the vast majority of every day in bed, unable to get out of it. And this is only my story; there are countless others who are trying or have tried to obtain benefits. It takes a tremendous amount of hope to apply for benefits under Trump, likely to keep them as well. I'm telling myself, forcing myself to hope because I have no other options. Haven't been able to work for many years, but just quit working last year after exacerbating my symptoms by continuing to work long past onset. We submit to this convoluted system designed to make it nearly impossible to receive benefits from it out of desperation. I wouldn't put myself through this if I didn't have to.
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 .
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.
Hello, I really appreciate this post and your perspective. But I'd like to point out that I knew two people who got on SSI or SSDI (?), one of which told me she flushes the meds for fibromyalgia and files separate tax returns from husband because their income would be too much. They both were perfectly able to work but chose to go this route. They were my sister-in-laws. My brother is has severe COPD and should be on oxygen is working and health severely deteriorating but cannot get on disability as he needs to not work for a year or so and he cannot afford to do that. I don't know all the details in his case but I just wanted to point out that there certainly is fraud happening. I wish you all the best and appreciate your time in posting this article to bring awareness.
Your premise is flawed. Healthcare is not a human right. It is a service provided by people who need to be compensated.
The Medicaid reforms are designed to incentivize beneficiaries to either work, get education or training to get work, or volunteer. All of these activities are good for the beneficiaries.
Genuinely disabled people will not suffer from these reforms, which are focused on able-bodied beneficiaries who don't have children.
The truth is no one knows how many beneficiaries will be removed from the rolls because it depends on how they respond to the reforms.
The Administration’s tariffs and immigrtion reforms should make more job opportunities to Medicaid recipients and help them become productive and self-sufficient, turning tax takers into taxpayers.
You realize you just spectacularly proved my point yes?
My premise isn’t flawed, the propaganda is. and you’ve fallen for it hook line and sinker.
Did you read the article or just the headline?
You're wrong a lot, aren't you? Is that your disability?
Yes, I suffered through your article in its excruciating entirety.
No, I didn't prove your point, I completely refuted it.
No, I didn't “fall for propaganda”, I’m simply trying to get the holistic logic of the Trump reform programs through your thick skull.
Fewer imports of foreign goods and labor mean more job opportunities for Americans, which pulls them out of poverty and reduces the cost of entitlements and, thus, the deficit and debt.
Got it?
Unless you're a socialist/communist, this is just common sense.
If you are a socialist or communist, you don't have any common sense, so nothing logical makes sense to you.
You must realize how small you sound.
Facts are facts. Deal with them. Denial does not refute them.