Back in April of last year, we posted a number of quotes collected by our Helpline (800-272-4232) from newly enrolled Commonwealth Care members. Since it’s the weekend, please excuse the repost.
The stories are relevant again as state funding for health reform must be resolved by the end of the legislative session Thursday. For a lively discussion of some of the issues, check out the long comments thread at the WBUR Commonhealth blog.
Here are the stories, all verbatim except for changed names:
“I have a cataract in my left eye and I’m losing my vision because it needs to be removed. I’ve been uninsured for four years and I couldn’t afford surgery or health insurance. I feel absolutely thrilled that I now have health insurance that will cover this! You have no idea how incredible this is.” – New Commonwealth Care Enrollee Joanne
“I haven’t had health insurance in years. Last time was probably fifteen years ago when the place that I worked closed down. I still owe my doctor for things he has done throughout the years. They just told me I have high blood pressure, and I haven’t been taking the pills because they are too expensive. The first set of pills is like $20 every couple of weeks. I can get those now.” – New Commonwealth Care Enrollee Irene
“I’ve been going without coverage for probably 5-10 years. I was told that I have a cyst on my kidney, but that was over a year ago. They said to check back with them when I have health insurance. I’m definitely going to get that checked out now.” – New Commonwealth Care Enrollee Kevin
“I have severe medical conditions and I have had no insurance for about a year. I have really bad asthma attacks and I let myself get really, really sick because I didn’t have health insurance. I’ve had to go down to the hospital and it’s a lot of bills. I feel wonderful relief [because of her new insurance coverage]!” – New Commonwealth Care Enrollee Joan
“This is a weight off of my shoulders! I can get this hammer nail on my feet taken care of. It hurts me to walk. I wanted to take care of it before, but I just can’t afford it. I went to this clinic and they just cut the toenail, but it grew back weird again. I’m a security guard and I do a lot of walking and my feet hurt very badly. I’m going to get it taken care of now.” – New Commonwealth Care Enrollee Arthur
“I have let a number of things slide while I’ve been uninsured the past 3 years. I haven’t had any physicals or treatment for my diverticulitis. There just hasn’t been the money to get the appropriate stuff done to help with this. My first plan [now that he is covered] is to have a complete physical examination so that I can have the proper treatment for my conditions.” – New Commonwealth Care Enrollee Timothy
“Having health insurance would make the greatest difference in the world. I have diabetes and really need yearly MRIs and my testing supplies covered. I haven’t had any of these things for close to a year.” – New Commonwealth Care Enrollee Allison
The cost of purchasing insurance for the self employed is out of sight. Cost containment has not been achieved; nor has the uncompensated care pool. Whidden Mem Hospital in Everett recently received several million dollars from the state covering the uninsured (info from news story in Everett paper). Whidden receives patients from Everett, Chelsea, Revere. The employers and taxpayers are required to cover undocumented immigrants in addition to paying for their own High-Cost insurance. If this year’s price increase is any indication, we are in for continued outrageous charges. Point of fact ON MASSHEALTH APPLICATION FORM, APPLICANTS ARE ASSURED ANY INFORMATION GIVEN IS NOT CROSSREFERNCED WITH FEDERAL GOVT. The systems is not working. We have been assessed another tax in the form of health insurance premiums. The politicians were the only ones with their heads in the sand passing this “feel good” law sending Romney on his way to the national stage.
Hi ?
What is a mammongram?
PJ,
Perhaps you could ask the ones you know to take a mammongram?
Ron, thanks for your input. I feel like there are so few of us who’ve slipped through the cracks. Why are there no responses from anyone at HCFAMA or the Comm. Connector? Surely they must read these forums.
Thanks again,
PJ
Hi PJ,
I don’t doubt that there are any number of savvy individuals gaming the system. Unfortunately, the state seems fixated upon those of us who are honest enough to report all of our income and deaf to the fact that this scheme is unaffordable and unsustainable. The middle class is being particularly hammered, funding the ComCare folks through their taxes, still unable to afford insurance, and having fines extorted from them by the DOR. We can only hope that the feds will eventually see the light and adopt a national healthcare plan that actually makes sense.
Hi Ron,
Of course all the comments of joy regarding new found health coverage are from Commonwealth Care members. Regardless of one’s income, lifestyle, etc., who doesn’t like “something for nothing” – or close to nothing, while peers who earn only slightly above have been given the shaft by the Commonwealth with this bogus “reform”. I am seeing fraud everywhere I turn regarding some of these Commonwealth Care members (not to say that this is the case in the quotes above). I’m quite certain there are plenty of well deserving Commonwealth Care members. However, the handful of people that I know are fraudulent in their Mass Health / Commonwealth Care enrollment:
One guy owns three gyms, two rental properties, the condominium in which he lives, and frequents LasVegas. Like clockwork he trades in his Cadillac every two to three years for a new one, yet his taxable income is in the vicinity of $14,000.00! (He bragged this to me).
Another is a hairstylist who works for a very busy salon. His employer pays him only 18 hours on the books and the rest in cash, plus he gets his own tips. Through his own admission, he would not be eligible for Commonwealth Care without his arrangement at work.
Four others (two couples) – my employers for nine years – ran a fairly succesessful manufacturing company. After 19 years, they closed down the company. They went from running a small business which provided standard benefits to its employees to Mass Health card holders after closing the company and just very recently selling the real estate for roughly $700,000. Now these people are paying nothing in premiums, yet, if you saw their homes and vehicles, your jaw would drop. Their lives are filled with the following: A Cadillac Escalade, an Infiniti, one has a million dollar home, they’re on the golf course as often as possible (which is frequently since they no longer have those pesky health insurance premiums to deal with). So the Commonwealth of Massachusetts sees fit to look ONLY at actual taxable income and not assets or lifestyle (there is no way of maintaining such lifestyles on incomes so low as to qualify for 100% free coverage)
As a result of the third example listed, I am now unemployed. I am currently paying 100% of my own insurance (not purchased through Commonwealth Choice, but very similar to several that they offered me). If unable to find a job which provides insurance, my rates next year will be “unaffordable” for me according to the MA Health Connector Board. My reward for this is I may apply for waiver to be without insurance.
Hmmm….maybe I’ll become a hairstylist…I hear you can’t beat the benefits!
Interesting that all of the stories posted here are from Commonwealth Care enrollees. May we infer that no one is benefitting from Commonwealth Choice plans? Other than the insurers, I mean.