Saturday, December 20, 2014

So What!? Med copays go toward OOP Max

Remember back when my boys Mito Cocktail was covered? The ACA was passed and people said, "In 2015, medication copays will go toward your OOP max!" And I always replied,"That means fewer meds will be covered and our OOP Maxes will skyrocket." That's what happened. Lifesaving meds are no longer covered and OOP Maxes skyrocketed making the plan we've had for 10 years unaffordable. 

Yes, next year, the #ACA mandates that medication copays go toward your OOP Max. Big deal. It's still not affordable. 

IGG had a copay of $16 before the law- went up to $33.33 after. Still affordable. Next month, if the new plan approves IGG, we will have to put $4055 on a credit card to pay for this blood product my son infuses weekly. At that point, does it matter that at some point it will be covered 100%? In Feb it will cost $1600. This of course varies based on who files first. We know we will have to shell out $6,000 by February 2015. THEN let's not forget the mito cocktail mostly no longer covered. We know that will be a minimum of $9,600 a year. We have a plethora of things not covered. Glycosade, extra dental, so forth and so on. We know we will have a minimum of $15,600 in OOP medical next year PLUS our usual 3-4k of other stuff... Stuff most families have anyway. 

We were forced to get this new plan because Obamacare made our old plan unaffordable. So, while meds go toward the OOP Max, insurance just made a separate OOP Max for meds of $5700 plus the $7500 for medical. add that to the $9600 for the mito cocktail that used to only cost us $3600 a year and our minimum OOP with the old plan we liked but can't keep would be $22,800. PLUS all the usual uncovered items.... And you see why we had to change plans.  

All this to say: the law mandating medication copays going toward the OOP Max doesn't mean a whole lot. Well, for those of us who have to pay for it ALL ourselves. The law is a sham. All of this AND premiums increased over $3K a year. 

We don't have $6000 in the bank to pay out the first two months of the year. We are more screwed now than we ever were before that POS law passed.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

NC Mom Travels to Boehner’s Office to Deliver Message | Pundit House

See the article and video of my visit to Boehner's office yesterday here: 

NC Mom Travels to Boehner’s Office to Deliver Message | Pundit House

I was extremely tired yesterday. Thought of a million other things I could have said to Boehner's staffer. When people tell you, "you don't understand the power of the purse"  or its intent, there are SO many things you could bring up. First and foremost, the Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power of the purse. All appropriations must originate in the House=> Article I, section 7- the Origination Clause and Article I, section 9, clause 7,the appropriations clause, is the base of the "power of the purse".

Our founders were clear. The Federalists thought that the American people would use these checks and stop any overreach and the anti-Federalist...not so much. The House has the Constitutional obligation NOT to fund any unconstitutional laws, acts or government function. It has the Constitutional obligation to redress our (we the people) grievances using the power of the purse. Especially when we have a president and many elected officials ignoring all of us who are exercising our first amendment rights to redress grievances! 

In Federalist 58, James Madison wrote: "The House of Representatives cannot only refuse, but they alone can propose the supplies requisite for the support of government. They, in a word, hold the purse--that powerful instrument by which we behold, in the history of the British Constitution, an infant and humble representation of the people gradually enlarging the sphere of its activity and importance, and finally reducing, as far as it seems to have wished, all the overgrown prerogatives of other branches of the government. This power over purse may, in fact, be regarded as the most complete and effectual weapon with which any constitution can arm the immediate representatives of the people, for obtaining a redress of every grievance, and for carrying into effect every just and salutary measure."

Now, go call your representative and Mr. Speaker and tell him to use the power of the purse to STOP King Obama. #NoAmnesty #DefundObamasAmnesty #StopObamasAmnesty #PowerOfThePurse

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Controversial Atheist Billboard: Girl's Christmas Wish is to Mis - WKRN News 2

The billboard doesn't offend me. I do, however, think it is stupid. They say they don't believe in "fairy tales" but then start the letter on the billboard with "Dear Santa".  Which is it? Do they or do they not believe in fairy tales? Are they saying it is okay to believe in Santa but not to believe in Jesus? Why do they care so much? No one is forcing them to believe in Jesus, Santa or the tooth fairy, for that matter. 



The information beliw is cut and pasted from this link. I've started cutting and pasting articles because I've found later, the links stop working or articles are moved, etc. Controversial Atheist Billboard: Girl's Christmas Wish is to Mis - WKRN News 2


Controversial Atheist Billboard: Girl's Christmas Wish is to Miss Church

Posted: Dec 01, 2014 6:23 PM ESTUpdated: Dec 01, 2014 6:49 PM EST
 
A billboard recently released in several traditionally conservative"Bible Belt" states is stirring controversy ahead of the Christmas holiday. (Photo: American Atheists, Inc.)
A billboard recently released in several traditionally conservative"Bible Belt" states is stirring controversy ahead of the Christmas holiday. (Photo: American Atheists, Inc.)
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -A billboard recently released in several traditionally conservative"Bible Belt" states is stirring controversy ahead of the Christmas holiday.

The inflammatory billboards show a young girl writing a letter to Santa. The letter reads, “Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is to skip church! I'm too old for fairy tales.”

The organization says of the billboards: The billboards are aimed at in-the-closet atheists who are pressured to observe religious traditions during the holidays, and who might also want to attend the annual American Atheists National Convention in Memphis in April. 

In past years, similar billboards also sponsored by the American Atheists Association were placed in urban locations like New York City. This year, the group honed in on areas of the country known for strong religious beliefs: Memphis and Nashville Tennessee, St. Louis, Missouri and Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Reactions on the group's Facebook page varied from wholehearted support to disdain: 

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 American Atheists also said they tried to put up a billboard in Jackson, Mississippi but were rebuffed by lessors in the area. 

 What do you think of the billboards? How would you feel if one was erected in Richmond or another part of Virginia?


Controversial Atheist Billboard: Girl's Christmas Wish is to Mis - WKRN News 2