Finally, GOP Governor Jan Brewer achieves her goal of cutting corporate taxes on the backs of the poor. Last week the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), the state’s Medicare program, sent out the following notice to all AHCCCS recipients:
Due to the current budget crisis in Arizona, the State will “freeze” new enrollment in the AHCCCS Care program beginning July 8, 2011. This means that no new applications for the AHCCCS Care program will be accepted after July 7, 2011.
People who are already on the AHCCCS Care program will still receive medical services from AHCCCS, but only as long as they stay eligible for AHCCCS.
If you lose coverage for the AHCCCS Care program because you no longer meet eligibility requirements, you will not be able to get back on the AHCCCS Care program.
The last two statements are key. If your income goes up one penny over the income eligibility threshold, you will not only lose your Arizona State Medicaid health care coverage (and possibly your life), you will lose your state health care coverage forever. And if you are currently employed but lose your job and and health care at any time in the future, you will not be allowed to apply for Medicaid health care in the state of Arizona.
Nice job, Brewer – you should be proud. Your contribution to widening the gap between rich and poor will certainly get noticed by the Arizona Tea Party Republicans. Your future in the party is assured.
I’m envisioning a future, not only for Arizona but for our nation, where stories like “man robs bank of $1 to get healthcare” are common. Soon, desperate people will begin “Robin Hood” type raids – robbing the rich to give to the poor. And in Arizona, anyone can now carry an unregistered, concealed handgun without a permit, so there will be fatal consequences. In the end, the cost of crime and punishment may exceed the cost of tax cuts for millionaires and corporations.
See the entire document in pdf format: AHCCCS Freeze on new enrollment
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