Medicaid limits condemn disabled to life of poverty

It's understandable why Medicaid puts a limit — a fairly low limit — on how much a recipient can earn, by working, each month. If there were none, since it is free coverage, it would be vulnerable to fraudulent claims — even attract the kind who would move to the state just to take fraudulent advantage of it.

But, in having that limit, it does condemn the disabled to a lifetime of poverty, for there's no way to work one's way back to self-sufficiency and keep coverage in case there's a relapse. If, for example, one takes a part-time job, staying within that limit, one has to turn down any offer of a raise for good work, or promotion, or to work more hours, because they need him, or to take a better paying job. One is just stuck forever in that or a similarly low paying job, to avoid losing his Medicaid coverage in case a relapse does occur, or further problems happen.

That tends to discourage a disabled recipient's determination to get better and get back on his own feet, or to do better for himself.

But there's hope, in the form of a bill in the state Legislature, which passed the Senate in May, but failed by one vote in committee in the House — for budget concerns, not in objection to its purpose. It will be reintroduced in January when the Legislature goes back into session.

It is the Medicaid Buy-In Bill, which changes Medicaid to solve that problem of the disabled being confined to a lifetime of poverty.

Instituting a premium for coverage is how it does it. At first, when one is just getting back to work, with a part time job, the premium is low. Then, if one accepts a promotion and/or a raise, or works more hours or gets a better paying job, the premium goes up, on a sliding scale according to how much one is earning, to a reasonable level.

Thus, as one gets better, he can earn more and eventually get back on his own two feet.

Some other states have a Medicaid Buy-In program. By asking one's representative to the House in Boise, when the new session starts in January, to support the Medicaid Buy-In Bill, one can help the thousands of disabled Idaho men and women et back on their feet!

I am one of them, thanks for considering my comment.

Kent H. Williams

Sandpoint