Balancing budget on backs of the poor

Shame on us! Yes, we are facing tough economic times in this state; but why do we have to make those of us who have the least, suffer the most?

I am talking about people who receive a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid. Most of these people are children, grandparents or are disabled.

SSI provides a minimum level of income to persons who have attained age 65 or are blind or disabled. Approximately 108,000 people in Washington state receive a payment from the federal government of up to $545. This payment is reduced by the amount of income received from other sources. The state has been providing an additional supplement of about $25. The 2002 Legislature chose to cut the state supplement.

Medicaid is a jointly-funded, federal-state health insurance program that provides a health care safety net for low-income children and pregnant women, families on TANF, the elderly and people with disabilities. In 1999, almost 690,000 people in Washington state were covered monthly by the Medicaid program. About 60 percent of all Medicaid clients are children, and almost 30 percent of the state’s children have health care paid for by Medicaid. Almost 160,000 Medicaid clients were low-income elderly and people with disabilities.

These are the people who are caught in the middle of the fight between DSHS and the pharmacies over whether Medicaid pays too much or too little for prescription drugs. The federal Office of Inspector General said the state is paying too much for prescription drugs. The state Legislature told the Medical Assistance Administration to cut $21.7 million from their prescription drug budget. Many pharmacies are claiming these cuts will force them to lose money. Some are refusing to take Medicaid clients. Many are threatening to do that.

Many of these same people, Medicaid recipients, stand to lose if the DSHS request to the federal government to allow premiums, co-pays and to freeze enrollment is approved.

Yes, we are facing tough economic times here; but we cannot solve our economic problems on the backs of the poor and most vulnerable or even by threatening actions which will hurt them. We need to tell our legislators and the big pharmacies that enough is enough.

Edmonds

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