You may find the following tale hard to believe but I'm told with good authority that it's true. The story involves the medical community but more importantly it involves Medicaid. It's a horror story for taxpayers and all of those who fund the low income medical insurance. And before you start to complain, I fully realize it's a tragic example of abuse that is not the overall picture of Medicaid.
I was told a story of a 50 something Sikeston area woman with a checkered history and a well-documented drug problem. Her monthly assistance check - I'm told - is used primarily to purchase drugs. This pattern is repeated month after month. I'm also told the drug dealers are hot on her heels for non-payment of the latest drug purchase. But that's a different story.
The woman receives her monthly taxpayer-funded check around the first of the month and then goes on a two or three day binge consuming whatever amount of drugs her check can provide. And then she checks herself into the hospital with some drug-related ailment. Month after month after month.
I'm told that around the third or fourth of the month, her children regularly check the hospital to make sure she has arrived and is recovering. Now the story as related to me may have some exaggeration but, in my opinion, not too much.
So just how much are taxpayers financing through the Medicaid program for this pattern of blatant abuse? The figure is beyond my imagination. But rest assured, it's a costly process.
Medicaid is a wonderful program on paper that is designed to provide essential medical help for the poor. It should be a source of pride not abuse. And I can't help but wonder just how widespread this abuse really is. Granted, this story may be an isolated case of abuse that is the exception not the rule. But just a little bit of homework by someone in charge would surely uncover massive abuses of this costly program.
I'm in no way advocate eliminating Medicaid. In fact, for those in true need, the program may actually need to be expanded. But this horror story keeps coming back in my mind. And I wonder who is minding the store?
Don't you wonder that very same question sometimes?