**Updated to correct, it was actually Obama that said that “children are relatively inexpensive to insure.” My apologies.
I’m not going to turn this into a political post. I even promise to keep it short.
It’s not the right forum and it’s not about any one candidates beliefs, I think we’re in trouble either way. However, I would think that many parents, especially the ones who understand this special needs world, would take great exception to the following words that came from Obama during the Presidential debate this week:
“Children are relatively inexpensive to insure.”
REALLY?!
Ya think?
I wonder where he comes by this insight.
Because I know a few million parents that would argue THAT one.
But I’m sure that, to a degree, the insurance companies would agree. You know why it’s “inexpensive”? Insurance companies work hard to NOT cover children. I know too many special needs families who spend a fair chunk of their time fighting for the coverage their children are due.
Trying to prove what is medically necessary….having to squeeze the most out of limited benefits…timing
the use of physical or occupational therapy because you are allowed so few visits throughout the year…finding out that your child needs a specific medication that doesn’t have a generic form and you are forced to pay full price…life-saving treatments deemed experimental and aren’t coverable…higher co-pays and out-of-pocket limies…the frustrating and futile appeal process to receive benefits for coverage denial.
With the gradual lessening of coverage options with the rise in personal responsibility for medical costs, it’s laughable to think about how inexpensive it is to insure our kids.
Inexpensive for whom?
You can also find me at Hope4Peyton, The Mayhew Review and on Twitter, you should come by, it’s nice…we have cookies! Feel free to email me at Anissa.Mayhew (at) gmail (dot )com.
[...] posted today about how dismissive I found McCain’s opinion that “children are relatively inexpensive to insure“. Here’s my open invite to any politician to come check out our healthcare costs for [...]
Thanks for sharing your oops. I really want to know what each of the candidates are saying, and cannot track it all myself. I tell my readers to trust your information sources (for research). I trust 5mfsn, and count on the info I read here.
Wow, that is a profound statement. He can come and add my child to his insurance anytime especially this month since we are buying a new walker and a wheelchair. Perhaps I should just forward that inexpensive bill his way.
That is crazy! Evan has probably cost over a million dollars easy with just his surgeries. I am sure that with all his therapy ect it has cost even more than that. Obviously he has never been friends with anyone that has a special needs child.
As the mother of a child who died of a recessive genetic disorder I agree that children with special needs do require significantly more insurance coverage and i know that insurance companies are not always great about paying for what those children need. This is something that I think all of our leaders are very remiss in addressing and I would love for there to be more support for parents of special needs, especially from those politicians who profess to be pro-life. But the majority of the children in this country are NOT special needs and it is true that preventative care for those kids is much cheaper than not insuring them and having parents that can’t pay for doctors visits or ER visits.
I hear ya! Fighting the battle multiple times over.
I’m with ya. As the parent of one child with Type I diabetes and another with a different developmental disability, this topic is a sensitive one.
Well said Anissa!
@Barbara,
I guess my subconscious was attempting to trick my brain! I would never intentionally misquote on anything, especially as important as this.
@Christine,
I don’t know that McCain’s opinion that we should pay taxes on the amount that our companies spend on our insurance works either. I have a really bad feeling about both heath insurance options.
@AwesomeMom
I agree with you that someone who hasn’t had to fight for medical coverage for their child, just doesn’t get what a true uphill battle it can be. Lifetime max is another issue in my brain…arrrrgg!
PeytonsMom – in no way implied you intentionally mis-spoke – just that I give great credibility to what is written here, and thanking you for setting the record straight.
Generally, it is misunderstood that insurance=medical care. Does not. Insurance for all is most likely to lead to restrictions on medical care for all, felt most by those who need most of the medical care.
IS “Children are relatively inexpensive to insure.” to be believed and will provide an improvement in services for lower cost? That is the question.
This is my life. Parker is over half way to his lifetime coverage with our insurance company. His next surgery in November is a biggie. That will ratchet it up even further. Add in all the things like G-tube supplies, outrageously priced formula, etc. and we figure we have about 2 years left of coverage for him.
While I don’t go for Universal Health Care because I believe that will lead to less coverage for kids like Parker, plus more of a push to abort kids with any kind of anything thought to be ‘not perfect’, my research into McCain’s health care plan caused me to literally hyperventilate.
I spent all day Friday on the phone fighting to keep Parker’s new vent that we just received notice that our insurance company won’t pay for.
Reed and I just want to keep Parker alive. We believe in his potential. Why is that so hard a concept for my insurance company and the powers that be to grasp?
I seriously hope that you and all the others who read here take the time to read ALL of Obama’s plan for healthcare (especially regarding kids) and not just take this statement completely out of context. In the statement you quote, Obama was addressing the fact that there are millions of children without ANY coverage, and that there should be a way for the government to help make sure they get it. As a portion of our nation’s wealth, children ARE “relatively inexpensive to insure” and the problems that you point out w/insurance companies, are EXACTLY the problems Obama plans to address.
Directly from his Blueprint for Change regarding children with disabilities:
“Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities: Children’s ability to succeed in school relies on the foundation they build in their first three years. Pre-kindergarten for four-year-olds is important, but it is not enough to ensure children arrive at school ready to learn. This is particularly so for children with disabilities and/or special health care needs, who already face challenges in the early years that can set them behind their peers before they ever enter school. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will invest $10 billion per year in early intervention educational and developmental programs for children between zero and five. Their plan will help expand Early Head Start to serve more children with disabilities, and will spur states, through programs like Early Learning Challenge Grants, to expand programs for children with disabilities, such as IDEA Part C, and integrate these programs with other early childhood programs.
Support Universal Screening: Roughly 90 percent of infants in the United States are screened for various potentially disabling or life-threatening conditions, but fewer than half the states screen all infants for the American College of Medical Genetics’ full recommended panel of 29 disorders. Many of these conditions, if caught early, can be treated before they result in permanent impairments or even death. And parents are often unaware that the tests are available. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that we should ensure that all states have comprehensive newborn screening programs. In addition, they support setting a national goal to provide re-screening for all two-year-olds – the age at which some conditions, including autism spectrum disorders, begin to appear. Part of Obama’s early childhood intervention plan will be directed at coordinating fragmented community programs to help provide parents with information about screening for disabilities as infants and again as two-year olds. Achieving universal screening is essential so that disabilities can be identified early enough to help children and families get the special supports and resources they need.”
Read more about his plans to help those with disabilities here:
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/disabilities/
And more about his healthcare plans here:
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/
In BOTH sections, be sure to scroll to the bottom where it says “For more information” and click “Read the plan” This will bring up the plan in full instead of just a brief overview.
For the record, I’m MUCH more impressed with what Obama says about healthcare, children, AND helping those with disabilities. If you want more of my opinion, read here (or email me):
http://psychmamma.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/why-obama-has-my-vote/
I should have included this also. Again, also directly from Obama’s Blueprint for Change:
“Guaranteeing Health Care Coverage: Many people with disabilities do not seek work or leave the workforce because they need the guaranteed health insurance that the federal government’s benefit programs provide. As a result, many stay on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which include Medicare or Medicaid coverage, rather than take a job that might jeopardize their health care coverage. Barack Obama has pledged to sign universal health care legislation by the end of his first term in office that will assure that Americans with disabilities will have quality, affordable, portable coverage that will allow them to take a job without fear of losing coverage. People with disabilities who lose their Medicare or Medicaid eligibility by taking a job, but still cannot afford coverage, will be provided a subsidy in order to purchase coverage.
MOREOVER, UNDER THE OBAMA-BIDEN PLAN, INSURERS
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DENY COVERAGE ON THE BASIS OF PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.” (emphasis mine)
I don’t know about you, but I’m a little worried about my daughter being denied coverage when our plan no longer covers her. I love that Obama addresses this issue.
Yes, someone can come pick up my tab as well. Especially with surgery(ies) looming
Ultram abuse….
Ultram er. Buy ultram….
Phentermine….
Adipex phentermine vs. Phentermine. Buy phentermine online. Buying phentermine. Online phentermine….