U.S. capital can't pay for Medicaid during shutdown

[Lanie]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Washington, D.C., officials said on Thursday the U.S. capital was not able to pay hospitals, long-term care providers and other organizations that participate in the Medicaid healthcare program for the poor during the federal budget shutdown.

Since the District of Columbia is a local government without a state, the U.S. Congress authorizes its budget when it approves the federal budget. Congress has been locked in a budget stalemate that allowed the federal government to shut down Tuesday at the start of the fiscal year.

That meant the city cannot spend any of the $2.7 billion it budgeted for Medicaid, even though those funds come from its own tax revenues.

The city pays healthcare providers in the Medicaid program and then receives federal reimbursement equal to 70 percent.

"We don't have the authority," said Wayne Turnage, director of Washington's department of healthcare finance. "We have the money."

http://news.yahoo.com/u-capital-cant-pay-medicaid-during-shutdown-232717981.html

Without having time to research right now (long week, sorry), I'm hearing that the Republicans supposedly offered a deal to keep certain things going if Dems would agree to it. They didn't. I also hear that there are enough Republican votes to end the shutdown, but the Speaker won't go for it. I'm sorry, but our congress and President are nothing less of MONSTERS. They're not even human to me. If one supports this shut down for whatever reason, then don't talk to me about taking care of the poor, the right to life, or whatever crap.

[Billy Jingo]

That's poor people not getting healthcare. Republicans probably think of that as a bonus.

[Adam]

http://news.yahoo.com/u-capital-cant...232717981.html


Without having time to research right now (long week, sorry), I'm hearing that the Republicans supposedly offered a deal to keep certain things going if Dems would agree to it. They didn't.

That is correct. The House passed (I think unanimously, but don't quote me on that) a bill to open up funding for the DC metro government to operate normally. Harry Reid would not even let it go to the floor for a vote.

I also hear that there are enough Republican votes to end the shutdown, but the Speaker won't go for it.

That is not correct. The House is standing pat and isn't budging on this. Unless something major has happened in the last 12 hours or so, there are nowhere near enough votes in the House to let Obamacare through. It's allllll on the obstructionist Senate Democrats, and most specifically Harry Reid, to come to the negotiating table. They refuse to do so.

I'm sorry, but our congress and President are nothing less of MONSTERS.

Well, to be fair, not all of them are.

They're not even human to me. If one supports this shut down for whatever reason, then don't talk to me about taking care of the poor, the right to life, or whatever crap.

Well, I hate to break it to you, but the poor can get taken care of without the federal government. In fact, it worked very well without the federal government jamming their finger into that pie up until about 50 years ago. Now the feds have just made it far worse than it ever was.

[Lanie]

That is correct. The House passed (I think unanimously, but don't quote me on that) a bill to open up funding for the DC metro government to operate normally. Harry Reid would not even let it go to the floor for a vote.

That is not correct. The House is standing pat and isn't budging on this. Unless something major has happened in the last 12 hours or so, there are nowhere near enough votes in the House to let Obamacare through. It's allllll on the obstructionist Senate Democrats, and most specifically Harry Reid, to come to the negotiating table. They refuse to do so.

Well, to be fair, not all of them are.

Well, I hate to break it to you, but the poor can get taken care of without the federal government. In fact, it worked very well without the federal government jamming their finger into that pie up until about 50 years ago. Now the feds have just made it far worse than it ever was.

This is the ultimate end game, isn't it? Dismantle the federal government for nothing but the military (not even that much as Reid pointed out). I'm all for finding ways outside the federal government to help the poor. I think our reliance on the federal government has become too big too look back though.

I still want to see congress get defunded. I think it's funny how we're sooooo poor, but yet we always have money to give to congress and to give the best healthcare. As far as I'm concerned, they're the ultimate welfare queen. They don't work and yet they take our money.

[Adam]

This is the ultimate end game, isn't it? Dismantle the federal government for nothing but the military (not even that much as Reid pointed out).

While I would personally love to see the federal government returned to its actual Constitutional roots, that is not at all the "end game" here. The end game is reasonably simple: either delay the individual mandate for a year so that individuals get the same treatment from the federal government as big corporations do, or else just defund Obamacare all together. I would certainly prefer the latter, as drowning the baby is best thing for the country and that would finally get our economy moving again, but I'd be satisfied with a delay just so that more and more Americans can see what a debacle it is and increase the cries to rid ourselves of it. A majority of the country already hates it, and I'm not sure it's ever really even received a majority favorable opinion, but one thing we know for sure is that the more people learn about this bill that had to be passed so that people could find out what was in it, the more they hate it, and the more people find out that it's forcing businesses to make as many people as possible part-time workers, the more people will demand that it stop.

I'm all for finding ways outside the federal government to help the poor. I think our reliance on the federal government has become too big too look back though.

You may as well say that all junkies and all alcoholics are beyond redemption. If you think that, then by definition you have to abandon your support of treatment for people incarcerated and instead go with just hard prison time for them.

I still want to see congress get defunded. I think it's funny how we're sooooo poor, but yet we always have money to give to congress and to give the best healthcare. As far as I'm concerned, they're the ultimate welfare queen. They don't work and yet they take our money.

Repeal Amendment XVII.

[Lanie]

While I would personally love to see the federal government returned to its actual Constitutional roots, that is not at all the "end game" here. The end game is reasonably simple: either delay the individual mandate for a year so that individuals get the same treatment from the federal government as big corporations do, or else just defund Obamacare all together. I would certainly prefer the latter, as drowning the baby is best thing for the country and that would finally get our economy moving again, but I'd be satisfied with a delay just so that more and more Americans can see what a debacle it is and increase the cries to rid ourselves of it. A majority of the country already hates it, and I'm not sure it's ever really even received a majority favorable opinion, but one thing we know for sure is that the more people learn about this bill that had to be passed so that people could find out what was in it, the more they hate it, and the more people find out that it's forcing businesses to make as many people as possible part-time workers, the more people will demand that it stop.

I think a better thing to do would be to have let it be implemented in time for election year. If people hated it that badly, they'd vote the Dems out. Then, the Republicans could put full energy into repealing it. As it is now, Obamacare is going to go forward and a lot of people are blaming Republicans and only them for the shut down. Next year's election is going to be determined on who is being held more responsible for the shutdown.

[scott]

That's poor people not getting healthcare. Republicans probably think of that as a bonus.

Who isn't getting healthcare?

[Lanie]

Who isn't getting healthcare?

People are not going to be able to go to the doctor if their insurance is medicaid because they'll start turning people down. I'm thinking the hospitals won't be able to go on but so long either. Will the hospitals that were receiving funding for children's cancer treatments start turning people away? I think a lot of people are about to start getting turned away. I know they will at their doctor's office.

[Adam]

People are not going to be able to go to the doctor if their insurance is medicaid because they'll start turning people down. I'm thinking the hospitals won't be able to go on but so long either. Will the hospitals that were receiving funding for children's cancer treatments start turning people away? I think a lot of people are about to start getting turned away. I know they will at their doctor's office.

How do you know that? That has never happened before in the previous shut-downs. When the feds shut down in 1996 for almost a month, there was no one getting turned away from their doctor because they were on Medicaid. Like Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare have been deemed "essential" by the courts and the government cannot not pay for them, even during a "shut-down."

[Lanie]

How do you know that? That has never happened before in the previous shut-downs. When the feds shut down in 1996 for almost a month, there was no one getting turned away from their doctor because they were on Medicaid. Like Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare have been deemed "essential" by the courts and the government cannot not pay for them, even during a "shut-down."

But yet they can refuse to pay the doctors during the shutdown? Doctors offices are not going to deal with that. Maybe the hospitals will, but how long can that go on.

Not to mention, I'm not counting on this lasting only a month. My sister and I agreed that they're arguing about who has the bigger one up in DC. They don't care about us at all. They care about their ideology winning out. Meanwhile, the politicians don't have to suffer at all, so they have no incentive to put this back together.

[Adam]

But yet they can refuse to pay the doctors during the shutdown?

No, they can't. The courts have already ruled on this. Medicaid and Medicare have to continue operating regardless of any "shut down." The only way that they can not pay is if Congress and the President agree to abolish Medicare and Medicaid. Fat chance of that ever happening.

Not to mention, I'm not counting on this lasting only a month. My sister and I agreed that they're arguing about who has the bigger one up in DC. They don't care about us at all. They care about their ideology winning out. Meanwhile, the politicians don't have to suffer at all, so they have no incentive to put this back together.

I don't want politicians to care about me. That's not their job. Their job is to operate within the Constitution of the United States, and nowhere in that Constitution does it say anything about them caring about me. Politicians caring about people is what got us in this mess in the first place.

[scott]

But yet they can refuse to pay the doctors during the shutdown? Doctors offices are not going to deal with that. Maybe the hospitals will, but how long can that go on.

Not to mention, I'm not counting on this lasting only a month. My sister and I agreed that they're arguing about who has the bigger one up in DC. They don't care about us at all. They care about their ideology winning out. Meanwhile, the politicians don't have to suffer at all, so they have no incentive to put this back together.

Get back to us when you have actual people getting denied healthcare due to the shutdown. NOBODY is getting turned away at this point.

[Gramps]

Get back to us when you have actual people getting denied healthcare due to the shutdown. NOBODY is getting turned away at this point.

I got a call from my VA/Medicare/Medicade doctor who cancelled my heart transplant because someone was worried about if they would be paid for saving my life.

[Gramps]

Get back to us when you have actual people getting denied healthcare due to the shutdown. NOBODY is getting turned away at this point.

I had to drive 80 miles up hill both ways today because the school my 3 grand kids attend, didn't get a snack.
It was horrible....
The look on their faces...
It haunts me...

[Celeste Chalfonte]

I got a call from my VA/Medicare/Medicade doctor who cancelled my heart transplant because someone was worried about if they would be paid for saving my life.

Nah, never happen. Oh wait, who was that on the earlier board, one of the members with Texas in her name, whose husband was denied life-saving treatment because they couldn't pony up cash in advance. She must've been making it up.