Medicaid from its beginning is all funded by general tax revenues with probably alot of IOU's from the Social Security Trust Fund. Yet, Social Security and Medicare is said to be the real crisis? That which has been funded, in part, by work ethic adults who paid for their own Insurance and reared their kids without Government help?

With Government steadily increasing MEDICAID services for the last 30 years, it is the largest unfunded mandate and crisis both the States and Feds, ie remaining Taxpayers have. Further showing the disparity and discrimination between the States, New Mexico gets the largest subsidy or percentage of reinbursement from Federal Taxpayers, at 70 to 80%.

The problem is pandering to party and poverty politics for votes, and excuses at every step of the way by the Human Services Department that does studies based upon disfunctional moral arguments that say by cutting benefits, no matter how new, we do irrefutable harm. DA, how did the majority of seniors and boomers in NM live without low income public pre-school, SCHIPPS, ADVANTAGE Plans and even private dental plans, before they were even available just recently?

We pay Governors and elected officaials to make the tough decisions, and just stopping all the new programs under Richardson/Denish, put forth in the last 8 years, would stop the overage and drain on the 55% of Taxpayers who are still paying taxes for all! Tough Love, it doth produce work ethic if nothing else. Its the total MEDICAID Entitlement that needs back to basic reform, repeal and at a minumum cuts to disability and individual financial responsibility. WE have long been a low income state, but you don't incentivize the low income to work more or attain middle income, by raising the low income level for government benefits. Hopefully, Susanna will have the guts to look at the whole big picture before those who want Mexico Style corruption and poverty to gain further foothold in our State. And thats the Truth, look up the MEDICAID FACTS NATIONALLY.

AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS ALL ACROSS THE USA HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO COUNT ON THEIR RELIGIOUS FLOCK TO CONTRIBUTE(TITHE)THEIR HARD EARNED MONIES TO THEIR MINISTRIES EVERY WEEK.

THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ATTENDING RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN THE U.S. ARE MIDDLE~CLASS AND WORKING POOR CITIZENS WHO NOW DESPERATELY NEED THE HELP AND SUPPORT FROM THESE SAME U.S.RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN LOBBYING THE U.S.CONGRESS TO PROVIDE PROPER HEALTH~CARE FOR ALL POORER AMERICANS.

***THERE ARE CURRENTLY AN ESTIMASTED 45 MILLION MEN WOMAN AND CHILDREN WITHOUT HEALTH~CARE IN THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD????

SILENT AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS WHO ALL HAVE HEALTH~CARE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES IS MUCH MORE FRIGHTENING THEN THE POSSIBLE DENIAL OF A FUTURE HEALTH~CARE PLAN FOR ALL…

LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS (424-247-2013)
lawyersforpooreramericans@yahoo.com

Did you know that prescription drug coverage is not a mandatory service for mandatory population?

While the “Eliminate All But Mandatory Services for Mandatory Populations” would scale back New Mexico Medicaid to the bare bones level to still allow the state to participate in the Fed/State Medicaid program, the cuts at this level would be draconian. The ultimate worst case would, obviously, be for a state to exit the Medicaid program, altogether.

I think cuts at this level, including the ones scale back of other optional programs, as listed in the article ( vision benefits for adults; adult dental benefits, except in emergency; nursing services in schools; hospice services; hearing aids and hearing evaluations for adults; and physical, occupational and speech therapy for adults.) is too much.

It's a shame that this planning is going on in the Richardson cabinet.

Cost containment in the Medicaid program is necessary. I suggest increased patient co-payments to control costs. Next, roll back some of Richardson's income tax cuts, which disproportionately went to the highest tax bracket and eliminate the state deduction for college savings plans. Note, that the state deduction for college savings plans not only allows a current deduction for amounts contributed, but it also shields, forever, from taxation qualified withdrawals from the plan: it's a double tax savings, with little for the state to show for.

Sadly, the story says that New Mexico doesn't have enough money and will have to “Eliminate Whole Programs That Have High Costs;” and “Eliminate All But Mandatory Services for Mandatory Populations.”

There is nothing “mobbish”, “teabaggish” or “racist” about this, yet most so-called progressives snidely brush off ordinary people who have showed genuine concern about this very thing in the larger healthcare town halls.

I want to hear what our Government – our state Government will do about this funding problem.