Bismarck Tribune - North Dakota News - Not much assistance here

Not much assistance here

Aug 02, 2008 - 04:06:23 CDT

By JANIS SCHMIDT
Warwick

On July 21, a North Dakota Insurance Department TV and radio commercial aired across the state. In the commercial, Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm states, "I help explain the assistance available to North Dakotans from the State Health Insurance Counseling Program and Prescription Connection for North Dakota."

So, what is wrong with this picture? This really sounds good, except - have you ever applied for public assistance of any kind? The eligibility requirements are so high that you will never qualify for any assistance. It doesn't really matter how much you are counseled or told what drugs you need, if you can't afford them. This is a self-serving scheme legalized by Congress, using a lot of tax dollars to promote the appointed insurance commissioner and a program for which very few people can qualify for.

This is particularly cruel and unusual to tell old people to contact the government for assistance, only to discover that you must first be a blind, disabled 65-year-old mother with children at home under the age of 18 in order to qualify. Additionally, you must fill out a 30-page report about every dime you have in your pocket, and birthday gifts you might have received, any income from the sale of personal property, or babysitting income. The government can be none too careful when doling out tax dollars to the poor. Yet Congress considers it a community service to spent beaucoup amounts of tax dollars for programs with the eligibility bar so high, that only a handful of people qualify.

The money would be so much better spent by giving it to doctors and hospitals who provide care and drugs for the poor. Doctors are kind and compassionate people. Through my doctor and surgeon and the hospital, I have had my medical bill reduced by two-thirds, my accumulated clinic bill forgiven and I was assisted by the doctor to get free drugs, which are vital to my diabetic condition. A politician didn't do this; a doctor did.

News > Opinion

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Comments

I agree wrote on Aug 3, 2008 3:43 AM:

" I agree with this letter. My Doctor has been giving me samples of a high blood pressor medication. He knows that I can not afford the pills. I have told him that I would stop taking them. As of four days ago I have. It seems that his nurse or some one in the hospital belives this is not right. Just to give out meds to poor people. Oh, you can get the samples but you have to go for a office apiontment. Which most of us cannot afford. My wife works a the hospital. We thought I was covered under her insurnace Bluecross and Shield of North Dakota. But, it seemd that I am not. So, we have blls with the hosptial. We can not afford to pay. I am disabled and can not work. But, she makes just a few dollars more then the State allows for this program. Now you tell me how easy it is. It took me almost twenty minutes to type this short comment. "

Trickery wrote on Aug 2, 2008 1:09 PM:

" Hamm's little trick with that commercial should and probably will backfire. I know I won't be voting for Hamm. "

SRahn wrote on Aug 2, 2008 6:12 AM:

" Dear Janis; I believe your assessment of the Perscription Assistance program has been folded into the unfavorable Aid to families with dependant children somehow - or Social Services.. The application process is far less then you are stating, in my case its been no more then 2 pages, tops. Qualifications pretty simple as well unless you have Soial Security, Stocks and Bonds, Land and so forth, otherwise a person with less then $1,600.00 monthly income fits the approval bill criteria. For your information, as well as for others heres how you cut out the middleman: Contact your medications manufacturer, request an application for assistance, copie your tax return and get a perscription from your physician with a 3 month fill request... Its just that simple with most manufacturers, once the government gets involved you're on the ride of a lifetime. "

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