Cutting SSI is NOT the answer dummy!

I guess this belongs on my blog but I just wanted to vent to my FB peeps...........

After reading this article on NPR( npr.org)I am absolutely furious and appalled at the stupidity of the people we have elected to make decisions on behalf of our nation.  I'm not sure if I have adopted a different set of morals than most politicians, or if maybe I am just a freakin' genius and have the ability to see that people who are vulnerable in our society NEED TO BE PROTECTED.  The needs of people with developmental disabilities are REAL and can not simply be ignored.  

The real issue in this article is pretty obvious.  We haven't been providing adequate and appropriate care (use of best practice, not stone age medicine and mentality) for people with developmental disabilities.  Our government has bowed down to big insurance companies and let them discriminate against people with developmental disabilities and mental illness for so long, that we have forced providers out of business.  You can't run a business if insurers deny your claims and patients aren't able to private pay.  When insurers use discriminatory practices, they create a LACK of providers. (try finding a good pediatric physical therapist for your kid who broke his leg if insurers don't provide coverage for kids with disabilities...they can't stay in business waiting around for your kid with a broken leg!)

 Today, the use of best practice and appropriate care for people with developmental disabilities is only available to those who can afford it (or are willing to bankrupt themselves).  Who is this helping?  Do tax payers get a break on taxes when the use of appropriate care and best practice helps an individual with DD or mental illness?  Yes.  Do insurers get a break when they provide coverage for best practice for people with DD and mental illness?  Yes.  

The answers are pretty simple and according to 99% (the other 1% being insurance providers and politicians) of the people I have ever talked to, my theory is not the theorm of a genius.  It's pretty simple actually. (Trust me-I totally cheated in Math and am not trusted with the check book)

When you treat people with developmental disabilities and mental illness with the appropriate care and best practice, you SAVE MONEY!  This happens by helping people achieve their best quality of life!  I can assure you (I refuse to cite sources here...college trauma) that the majority of people with developmental disabilities and mental illness would not HAVE to rely heavily on public support such as SSI, Medicaid, etc. if they received the treatment THEY DESERVE.  

I mean, c'mon, why NOT improve someone's quality of life?  Why not help ease the burden of families with special needs children?  Why not?? Why not?? Why not??

We're greedy that's why.  We are so selfish that we have allowed insurance companies to DISCRIMINATE against people with disabilities and mental illness.  We have purposely turned a blind eye because we are only worried about ourselves.  We think "It can never happen to me"....  Well, if it happened to me, it can happen to YOU too.  

Jesus is sad.  We have all allowed this.

Speak up, we all have a voice.