The invisible faces

The nameless faces are many.  I'm talking about the real people impacted by the decision to not accept the Federal dollars offered to our state to expand Medicaid.  Our Governor chose to play politics and make her stand against the Affordable Health Care Act no matter who it hurt.  

Well we see the faces of those impacted every day.  Due to her refusal to expand Medicaid and the fact that our state has an over $600 million dollar shortfall we are receiving cuts in provider rates.  Our hospital is primarily comprised of Medicaid patients.  Patients who will no longer be seen by private pediatricians.  We will be receiving a 25% cut in rates this year equating to a 2.1 to 3 million dollar deficit.  At that rate we can keep our hospital operating for another 2 to 3 years by absorbing the loss. 

We are also hearing that the Okla. Healthcare Authority (Medicaid) will no longer pay for medications.  Since many of our patients are on seizure meds that means when they are discharged their parents will be unable to purchase their medication.  Another possible cut is funding for wheelchairs and other durable medical equipment.  Again, many if not most of our young patients are either in wheelchairs or use some other form of medical equipment.

So once again the people who vote for people like our Republican Governor don't understand the impact their decisions have on the most fragile population.  Not everyone impacted are the so called "dead beats" of society.  They think that everyone who is poor is because they are lazy.  Not true! Some people are "medically" poor.  The cost to care for this population is astronomical and more than any average family could afford.  These children are not lazy dead beats......why must they pay such a price?  Is it because they are invisible?  Is it because they don't vote?