Today I'm going to discuss the Affordable Health Care Act, or Obamacare, whichever name you chose. I'm not going to go all policy wonk on you; yes, the bill is long and complicated but what I'm going to do is breakdown what it means to me and my extended family.
I am on Social Security Disability with this I get Medicare. Were I not on Disability I would not be able to get insurance because I have a pre-existing condition, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease. Were I to be able to get insurance, the cost would be prohibitive and they wouldn't cover my pre-existing which is why I need the insurance in the first place.
Everyone on Medicare knows about the infamous donut hole. I won't get into the arithmetic but only the bottom line. If you take multiple medications, (I do), and some of them are not generic, (some of mine are not) you can fall into the Medicare donut hole as early as April in any given year. After that date, according to your medicare insurance, you would have to pay full price on your medication. This would cost me upwards of $2,000.
Obamacare would eliminate the donut hole.
My grandson attends Penn State and has a 3.5 average with a full time job. His job, although full-time, does not offer health insurance. Thanks to Obamacare he is covered under his parents policy until he is 26 years old. Since he plans to go on to law school this is a blessing.
With the proposed Medicare Voucher system, I could not be covered by insurance. My grandson, without the ACA would not be covered by insurance and would have to rely on the Emergency Room for care.
This is how the ACA has benefited my family RIGHT NOW. It will do more for us in the future.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Clinton Knocks it Out of the Park
Former President Bill Clinton spoke at the Democratic National Convention last night. His speech was a point by point refutation of the lies the Republican told at their convention last week and the ones they are telling on television every day.
Yes, this year the Republican have more money than ever thanks to Citizens United that allowed the election to be sold to the highest bidder. But the Democrats are fighting back with everything they have. The facts are on the Democratic side. As Bubba said last night, it's all a matter of arithmetic. You can't cut taxes on the wealthy, add money to the defense budget and get rid of a deficit. The numbers don't add up.
Cutting the safety net for our poorest countrymen, giving so-called "vouchers" for Medicare and repealing Obamacare will set this nation back. We need to go FORWARD.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Why Marriage Equality
Got a Lawyer? If you are gay and living with your significant other in states that do not allow gay marriage, you're going to need one.
A gay or lesbian couple need to have specific wills made or a house, car, precious possessions can go to the family rather than the partner. If you do not specify that your partner will be the one making medical decisions in case of your inability to do so, someone else (even a distant relative) could make them for you. If you have not listed your partner as next of kin, they might not be able to visit you in the hospital or make your funeral arrangements.
If you are gay, your partner will not get the pension or 401K you put money into all of your life. Your partner is not eligible for survivors benefits for social security. Your partner can not collect on any government pension thanks to the Republicans and DOMA.
You may be able to serve in the military if you are gay, but your partner is not eligible for any of the military spousal benefits.
If you are gay, you are basically a second class citizen. We should have NO second class citizens in the United States of America. The constitution guarantees rights to everyone. Marriage is a civil contract that is made by obtaining a license and having the ceremony be administered by a civil official. It is not a religious issue.
In recent years the Christian Right have fought to impose their ideas on the rest of us despite the constitution. Don't let them get away with this. Write to your local state assemblies and senates. Write to your governors. Write to your congressman and senator, write to the president. Do not deny a group of Americans the same rights given to everyone else.
A gay couple should not have to have a lawyer to enforce basic living issues that the rest of us take for granted.
A gay or lesbian couple need to have specific wills made or a house, car, precious possessions can go to the family rather than the partner. If you do not specify that your partner will be the one making medical decisions in case of your inability to do so, someone else (even a distant relative) could make them for you. If you have not listed your partner as next of kin, they might not be able to visit you in the hospital or make your funeral arrangements.
If you are gay, your partner will not get the pension or 401K you put money into all of your life. Your partner is not eligible for survivors benefits for social security. Your partner can not collect on any government pension thanks to the Republicans and DOMA.
You may be able to serve in the military if you are gay, but your partner is not eligible for any of the military spousal benefits.
If you are gay, you are basically a second class citizen. We should have NO second class citizens in the United States of America. The constitution guarantees rights to everyone. Marriage is a civil contract that is made by obtaining a license and having the ceremony be administered by a civil official. It is not a religious issue.
In recent years the Christian Right have fought to impose their ideas on the rest of us despite the constitution. Don't let them get away with this. Write to your local state assemblies and senates. Write to your governors. Write to your congressman and senator, write to the president. Do not deny a group of Americans the same rights given to everyone else.
A gay couple should not have to have a lawyer to enforce basic living issues that the rest of us take for granted.
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