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NEWS & LETTERS, NOVEMBER 2003

Medicaid cuts

Detroit, Mich.--Effective Oct. 1, there were severe cuts in Michigan’s Medicaid program. Medicaid will no longer fund dental care, hearing aids and batteries, podiatrist procedures, and chiropractic procedures. The only way that these procedures will still be funded is under extreme emergency conditions, or if the procedure was begun before Oct. 1.

These procedures will affect people in many ways. Everyone needs dental coverage and most people on Medicaid cannot afford regular dental insurance. We don’t know how much or if Medicare will pick up what was cut from Medicaid. I know people that have foot problems where they have to see podiatrists. A friend of mine just had back surgery. Right now she is seeing a doctor, but she may need chiropractic care later and Medicaid will not cover that. I myself use a hearing aid and have to have batteries. The expense right now isn’t too bad but who knows what will come along eventually. If I were to need a new hearing aid the cost would be quite high.

The Republicans have waged cutbacks against the poor many times before and there seems to be no end. Jennifer Granholm, who is Michigan’s Governor, has issued these cuts and is a Democrat--which goes to show that the Democrats are not helping the poor either. I’ve tried to explain to many people before that this is just another way the capitalists have reared their ugly heads. We need to overthrow the capitalistic system in a total revolution--that is, a Marxist-Humanist revolution.

--Dan, Michigan

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