Letter to the Editor

Your view: Report abusers

Friday, February 25, 2005

Proposed cuts are not severe enough!

Fact: Medicaid fraud and abuse is rising drastically. It is a fact that recipients are the biggest abusers. Types of abuse are claiming you are separated or divorced to draw checks or benefits, working for cash and drawing benefits, going to the emergency room for non-emergencies, not taking care of your child at home first and foremost, calling the ambulance for stupid non-

emergencies and maybe causing someone's death who might have really needed that ambulance, using your food card for non-essential foods that produce obesity and poor health for you and your children. Mr. or Mrs. Good Citizen, who pay people in cash who draw benefits, you're just as bad and, yes, it's illegal. Taking money for groceries bought on your card is fraud. Using and expecting the taxpayers to raise you and your children is low. It is child abuse to have children you cannot support or raise properly.

Fact: Disability fraud is everywhere and, yes, it is illegal if you are working for cash and not reporting your earnings. But then if you can go to work practically every day, why let the taxpayers support your standard of living? We are also guilty if we support these people and are serviced by them. It should not be OK and they should be reported. These people are sucking the life out of us. How many people do you know who are profiting off the system and we do nothing? There is no excuse for cheating and stealing.

We see many people who have worked all their lives and would work numerous benefits before giving up. These are the people who have no insurance. People who have never worked have unlimited health benefits. What is wrong with this picture? I would rather give healthcare and benefits to a working person who is contributing to society than to give one dime to a burden of society. We are preserving the deadbeats and letting deserving people suffer and die.

Who is more worthy of assistance? Write, call and e-mail your politicians and let them know you're tired of supporting the pimples on the butt of society.

This is not intended for truly deserving people. Medicaid and disability was meant to assist people if they met with temporary misfortune. The birth to death repeating cycles need to stop now.

Name withheld on request