Viele werden sterben, wenn diese Woche GOP -Kürzungen gegen Medicaid erfolgen

Just as they planned

It’s a feature not a bug.

The Pro-Life party, so they say.

The GOP is not „pro-life“. They are pro-death.

Killing Americans is what republicans do 

I’m reposting this in all the threads I can regarding this issue in an effort to bring more awareness. These policy decisions will have real consequences. I think it’s important to put a human face to what these cuts really mean. It’s easy to call people „bums“ or tell them to „get back to work“ when you don’t know their stories. So, here’s mine.

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There has been so much talk about how this will likely affect people. Of „grifters“, „scammers“, and „waste and fraud“. How „able bodied adults“ don’t deserve coverage. About the 700k or more that will or might lose their healthcare. The return of the „welfare queen“ and „lazy people“.

Because of the big numbers it’s often difficult to really comprehend what this all means on the individual level. So, this will be a bit long, but please let me tell my story. Anecdotal, but it’s real world. Let me put a face, or well, username to the issue.

In 2017, I had kidney failure from a bad reaction to a medication. I drew the short straw. That proverbial bus came out of nowhere and hit me. My life, career, and dreams all stopped instantly. I had to go on disability and dialysis. I could hardly walk across the length of a livingroom. There was not a lot of hope I would survive long. This made me eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

I’ll skip over the nearly four years of headache and heartache that was dealing with it all. Except to say, if it wasn’t for the amazing people who took care of me I’d surely be dead. But, in 2021, I was stable enough and was very, very lucky to receive a transplant.

The rules currently say that after a transplant you are allowed to keep Medicare for up to 36 months. The only exception is if the kidney is rejected and you must go back on dialysis. Then, it can continue.

I have done well post transplant, but not everything is perfect. I struggle with stamina / energy, pain and numbess, polycythemia, have issues with medications that leads to days I can barely even get out of bed, experience immune suppression issues meaning I have to be very careful around people, and require regular very expensive treatments (infusions / phlebotomies, etc.) to stay stable and alive.

In February of 2024, I hit my three years post transplant. Even though I was not physically able to return to work full time according to my care team the SSA deemed me able to return to work, because simply I was not back on dialysis. I with the support of my care team appealed, but to no avail. I could have hired an attorney, but chose not to. I was tired of fighting and optimistic about the future. As such I lost Medicare, Disability, SNAP, and all assistance except Medicaid.

I am eligible for Medicaid because I am lucky enough to live here in Michigan, an expansion state, and am way below the income limit.

When I lost disability I started a very small lapidary business that earns me a little money. I had no choice, you have to have some income. It’s home based and allows me to do what I can, when I can. Barely enough to get by. Less than I received from Disability each month. A lot less.

If it wasn’t for Medicaid I would not be able to afford the medications I need to live and the treatments that keep me alive. I could not afford to pay a monthly premium, plus any out of pocket with my income. My medications alone are nearly $2000 a month without Medicaid. One treatment, which I need every three months or so, is $4000. Bloodwork every three months costs around $3000. This all adds up fast.

Thanks to Trump’s tariffs my small business is about to go under. The 145% tariff on China coupled with the de minimus elimination has crippled it. Even my primary wholesaler is no longer shipping to the United States. Once my current stock is gone I’m done unless something changes. Then, what?

If they institute work requirements, and I lose my business, will I now also lose my healthcare, too?

Will they eliminate expansion altogether? Leaving me and millions without care?

It’s quite a sob story I know, but it’s also real life. A version of it is playing out all over the country right now. People who are unable to work for one reason or another, but not able to qualify for disability or still fighting through the multi-year process to be approved for disability. There are caregivers, homemakers, older adults, and cancer patients who can’t work and don’t qualify for disability. There are so many in different stages of life or dealing with things some people can’t comprehend. We are all scared we will lose the healthcare and support that keeps us going. You may not recognize us, but we’re all around you.

Personally, if I lose Medicaid, I lose my life. There’s no inbetween. No meds, no kidney… no life. No phlebotomies, thick blood, stroke.. dead. It’s just that simple.

So, please let me make this issue a little personal. Hello, my name is Cliff. Some of you may even know me. I beg of you, please tell your Reps to not vote to take away healthcare from and maybe even end up killing people like me. We didn’t do anything to you. We just want to live and be as healthy as we can. We want to be with our families and friends. We want to try to contribute to society in some way. We are members of your community, your clubs, your churches, and your schools. We matter to someone and they matter to us. Please don’t forget that there are people, real people, behind these policy discussions. We’re more than just statistics. We are your friends, coworkers, clubmates, and fellow parishioners. We may even be your family. If you are ever so unlucky, there is a chance, that one day we could even be you.

South of the Mason Dixon for starters. Then cut the federal disaster funds on top of that..? Deaths.

And dozens of hospitals will close. Like mine.

And they will just blame it on Dems, or immigrants or The Gays.

The GOP is allergic to introspection let alone responsibility or blame

This is the point, if you are poor and old you are useless to Trump so why would be want to spend money keeping you alive?

Medicare is a trouth Trump has hungered for for years and he will feed from it and Americans will die.

But is that such a bad thing? Trump added 250k extra COVID deaths to his death count and nobody even talks about it, so adding a few million more will barely get a headline or two.

Gobble Gobble Oink Oink says the Trump Train.

/s

It will hurt everyone.

Medicaid is not welfare. It’s a *hospital subsidy.*

That money doesn’t go into poor peoples‘ pockets. It goes directly into the medical industry. Take nearly a trillion dollars out of that industry and watch what fucking happens.

Entire hospital systems, especially in rural areas, are going to collapse. It won’t matter if you have insurance or not–you won’t have a hospital within 50 miles of your home.

The 13 million who are *directly* on Medicaid will be the first to be hurt, but make no mistake. It will hurt *everyone.* You will be a hundred miles from your nearest ER before the decade is up, and it’ll be backed up for miles by the time you get there.

Democrats should really be pushing that republicans hate Americans, and focus on the real people being hurt. 

Rage coming to red state town halls and right wing radio incoming.

It’s so weird to watch a political party kill its own voters. It’s almost like they don’t expect to need them in any further elections.