Health Nuts and Bolts

Cited: LA Times

When Jean called the other day from Palm Springs, she stated that the state was cutting her aid and that she was worried. She was notified that California was cutting back again on the aid for the disabled. Of course, Jean is not her real name. She did not want her friends in LA to know of her living conditions. She thought she would be embarrassed if they knew and considered it to be because of her pride. She is correct in stating that nobody wants to admit that they are down and out.

She suffers from fibromyalgia, a disease of the connective tissues. Several years ago, Jean says, she was a buyer for the old Bullock’s department stores in L.A. but became afflicted with the painful ailment and finally couldn’t work anymore.

She moved to the desert. It was cheaper living and she’d be closer to her aging mother. Jean is 63, her mother 86. “Turns out she helps me more than I help her.”

On good days, Jean uses crutches. Other days, she’s in a wheelchair. “The pain never goes away.” I hadn’t talked to Jean in more than three years, since the first time she called expressing concern about the state ripping off federal cost-of-living boosts for the impoverished aged, blind and disabled. Yes, that’s legal.

She’s one of nearly 1.3 million Californians receiving federal Supplemental Security Income, augmented by a State Supplementary Program. They’ve always been an easy target — too poor to throw big bucks at political candidates. But, of course, practically anyone who draws a state buck these days is vulnerable.

Faced with what he calculates to be a potential $24-billion budget deficit in the fiscal year starting July 1, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting state supplemental payments for the elderly and disabled down to the minimum allowed by federal law. It would be their third cut this year.

The Legislature already has approved a $20 monthly cut beginning July 1, lowering the grant for single people to $850. That’s it: No food stamps, and that includes any Social Security.

This was the cut Jean had read about. But the governor also is seeking another $20 trim starting in September, reducing the benefit to $830.

The rent for her one-bedroom condo is $850. But “I consider myself lucky,” Jean says, because after a long wait, she finally received a federal rental subsidy administered by a local housing authority.

That’s not the end of her financial woes, however. Jean has a broken tooth and badly needs a crown. But Medi-Cal, she says, will only pay for a type of crown that “dentists don’t even use anymore.” And things are about to get worse: On July 1, Medi-Cal will stop paying for adult dental care altogether.

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Around the time Jean was calling, I got an e-mail from Marta Russell, an Encino-based freelance journalist who has written widely about the disabled. Russell has had cerebral palsy from birth but made good money in the film industry, working on special effects, until she also contracted fibromyalgia and landed in a wheelchair. “I am in chronic pain,” she says.

She’s not poor enough to be on SSI but does need help at home “to empty trash, do laundry, pick up things that are heavy — to stay out of an institution.”

Schwarzenegger has proposed reducing caregiver pay under the In Home Support Services program — used by 446,000 Californians with disabilities — from a maximum of $10.10 per hour (including benefits) to $8.60. That will make it tougher to find help.

Worse for Russell, she wouldn’t be deemed sufficiently impaired under the new rules to qualify for IHSS. “I can’t imagine how I’m really going to deal with it,” she says.

“I expect suicides, premature deaths, a horrible disruption of the social fabric. . . . We’re headed toward market-based social Darwinism where only the fittest will survive.”

The governor hopes to save $402 million during the next fiscal year with his latest SSI-SSP cut. Reducing caregivers’ wages would save $124 million, and disqualifying the majority of current IHSS recipients would pocket $385 million.

Of course, Schwarzenegger’s proposed cutting goes much deeper than that. He also wants to completely eliminate the state’s main welfare program, which benefits 1.3 million people, and save $1.4 billion. And he’s trying to scuttle the Healthy Families program that provides medical insurance for 930,000 children of low-income families, netting $369 million.

“I know we all have to sacrifice something, but are the wealthy sacrificing anything?” Jean asked.

They’d say they’re paying hefty taxes.

State budget director Mike Genest was asked another version of Jean’s question by a reporter: “Why are all the poor people being cut?”

Genest: “The government doesn’t provide services to rich people. We don’t provide very many services even to the middle class. . . . You have to cut where the money is.”

That’s a little stretch. But Genest is mostly correct as it relates to the hemorrhaging general fund. Public schools serve students whose young parents are usually just starting up the economic ladder.

Of the current general fund, roughly 40% goes to K-12 schools and 32% to health and welfare. The next highest expenditures are higher education and prisons, each 11%. Everything’s getting whacked, including employees.

Jean and Russell are among many Californians who are scared after Schwarzenegger “scare tactics” after the failed budget propositions when he warned voters what would happen if the measures did not pass.

Here are some predictions:

Legislature will not allow the governor to completely wipe out welfare and children’s healthcare by targeting aged, blind and disabled. Republicans will not allow him to raise taxes and get Democrats will try to raise them with a majority vote. The $24 billion deficit includes a $4.5 billion reserve the Democrats not allow the governor to record so the deficit will be termed $20 billion. The disabled, blind and aged will suffer because of what may come to pass.

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My Take: I am always amazed at how government can reduce something that is so needed and still collect so much money themselves. For example, the governor of California is reducing the pay of caregivers that are needed by thousands of people. What about the governor taking a cut in pay? Oh, that cannot happen, he does not make enough as it is! NOT!

The government keeps talking about reducing costs to reduce a deficit and get out of the red and back into the black. Yet, they reduce things that are needed and the payee of those that cannot afford a cut in pay. I have read that many cities are cutting the pay of their police force and their fire department! That is ridiculous because they are not paid enough as it is.

I wonder, what would happen if “the government” took a cut in pay. I do not mean deducing taxes, of course that would be fantastic, I mean the senators, governors, mayors, representatives, Congressman and even the president taking a cut in pay. Everybody knows the Congress always votes a pay increase when they start their session every year. Why not make history and vote for a cut in pay instead. They could also stop using limousine services and private jets to reduce costs.

Of course, this is just too simple of an idea for them to think up, isn’t it? They would rather put the common American further in debt with less payee and less healthcare benefits. Yet, they’re trying to tell us this is not what they are doing. Think again!

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