Healthcare woes - one of our own

[Guest guest]

This medic is caught in the medical system she served at one time. Anyone know

anyone who can help?

Sad story of a Texas Paramedic in dire need.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5042732.html

" A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the

simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. " Proverbs 22:3

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

That is sad....I wish there was a way that we could help her. If I

was good at putting things together like I don't know a fund raiser

or several fund raisers I would. She could sure use some help.

Leach

>

> This medic is caught in the medical system she served at one time.

Anyone know anyone who can help?

>

> Sad story of a Texas Paramedic in dire need.

> http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5042732.html

>

>

>

>

> " A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for

them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. "

Proverbs 22:3

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Building a website is a piece of cake.

> Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online.

>

>

[Guest guest]

This goes hand in hand with a conversation that I had with a friend of mine the

other day. Who takes care of us (people in EMS), while we're taking care of

others, and worse, when we can't. I've said for years that EMS needs to have a

union. Cops have unions, Firemen have unions, trash people have unions. Why

can't EMS have a union? EMS workers are underpaid, under appreciated, and

unthought of until someone needs us, then we're " Ambulance Drivers " . We need to

educate the public on who and what we are, and demand from the EMS services and

the government, what we so rightfully deserve. I do have one solution though,

send all the illegal aliens (the ones who refuse to become legal citizens) back

home so that their not SUCKING on our tax dollars, and that should free up some

money for people like this young lady. She desired to serve others, so she

became a paramedic to take care of people in their time of need. Now who's going

to take care of her, and

Lord forbid us should we need it? I'm not, nor ever have been prejudice, but I

think it's time we clean house, close the doors and secure our borders.

Vote me for President, LOL

R.

FF/EMT

President/CEO

Emergency Depot

Healthcare woes - one of our own

This medic is caught in the medical system she served at one time. Anyone know

anyone who can help?

Sad story of a Texas Paramedic in dire need.

http://www.chron. com/disp/ story.mpl/ metropolitan/ 5042732.html

" A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the

simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. " Proverbs 22:3

------------ --------- --------- ---

Building a website is a piece of cake.

Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online.

[Guest guest]

She was a GoldStar EMS paramedic when this happened. She is one of many

GoldStar employee's who got screwed over when they shut down.

************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at

http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour

[Guest guest]

That's a great idea. We could open an account, take up a collection from medical

workers all across the country, and send the money to her.

R.

FF/EMT

President/CEO

Emergency Depot

Re: Healthcare woes - one of our own

That is sad....I wish there was a way that we could help her. If I

was good at putting things together like I don't know a fund raiser

or several fund raisers I would. She could sure use some help.

Leach

>

> This medic is caught in the medical system she served at one time.

Anyone know anyone who can help?

>

> Sad story of a Texas Paramedic in dire need.

> http://www.chron. com/disp/ story.mpl/ metropolitan/ 5042732.html

>

>

>

>

> " A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for

them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. "

Proverbs 22:3

>

>

>

> ------------ --------- --------- ---

> Building a website is a piece of cake.

> Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online.

>

>

[Guest guest]

txguy,

If you still have contact with her, send her my prayers.

R.

FF/EMT

President/CEO

Emergency Depot

Re: Re: Healthcare woes - one of our own

She was a GoldStar EMS paramedic when this happened. She is one of many

GoldStar employee's who got screwed over when they shut down.

************ ********* ********* ******** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at

http://discover. aol.com/memed/ aolcom30tour

[Guest guest]

My prayers and condolances go out to her and her family. As another former Gold

Star employee, I can relate.,___

Live for today, tomorrow is not here yet

and laugh at yourself often before someone else does.

McGee, EMT-P

Compliance Officer

City of Mathis EMS

Mathis, TX 78368

Office

Fax

---------------------------------

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lay it on us.

[Guest guest]

I certainly sympathize with the situation that this paramedic faces.

However, her situation is a common one. We are drawn to it because she

is a paramedic.

In Texas, indigent care has many problems. Indigent Care is an

unfunded mandate of the federal government that has been passed to the

states. In Texas, Medicaid is limited to a few select populations such

as pregnant females, children, and certain individuals with

disabilities. Care for the rest of the indigent population is passed

onto the local tax payer though county indigent programs, hospital

districts, and public hospitals.

County programs are mandated to provide care for those below 21% of the

poverty level. As quoted in the article " That means a single person can

earn no more than $179 per month and a family of four no more than $362

per month to qualify. " In urban counties with hospital districts, the

funding level is typically higher - usually 100% of the poverty level.

The low income threshold suppresses the enrollment in county indigent

programs across the state.

There is an unusual quirk in the law that impacts patients such as the

paramedic in this article. Once you are officially deemed disabled by

Social Security (a process that can take two years), you automatically

become INELLIGBLE for most every county indigent program because your

disability payments places you above the maximum poverty level for the

programs. Even worse, there is a two year waiting period for the

patient to qualify for Medicare. Thus aid from one program and a

statutory waiting period makes you ineligible for much needed care.

This article perfectly illustrates the outcome of the situation.

During the last session, there was moving testimony from witnesses

urging that this quirk be changed. That bill was defeated.

So why should you care? There are two major reasons.

1. As the Houston Chronicle story demonstrates, any one us could

find ourselves in need. I doubt this paramedic ever anticipated such a

situation could happen to her.

2. County indigent programs are not required to cover ambulance

transport. It is an optional service under Chapter 61 of the Health

and Safety Code. Counties that operate their own EMS service or

provide a subsidy for service are in essence funding service to the

local indigent population. This is not a universal situation and many

EMS agencies would benefit from an amendment to Chapter 61 that would

make EMS a basic (or required) service.

We tend to get lost in our own world and our own problems (personally

and as an industry). The health delivery and financing systems are

messed up. Texas ranks very low in most every measure of health that I

have read recently (49th in this article). In the coming months,

health care will be a hot topic in our national debate. This article

provides a good example of why each of us needs to tune in and get

involved.

****************************************************

, MPA, LP

Chief Administrative Officer

Montgomery County Hospital District

________________________________

From: texasems-l [mailto:texasems-l ] On

Behalf Of Larry

Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 8:11 AM

To: texasems-l

Subject: Healthcare woes - one of our own

This medic is caught in the medical system she served at one time.

Anyone know anyone who can help?

Sad story of a Texas Paramedic in dire need.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5042732.html

<http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5042732.html>

" A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them;

the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. " Proverbs

22:3

---------------------------------

Building a website is a piece of cake.

Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online.

[Guest guest]

Would the state crime victims assistance fund be of any help to this woman?

I don't think we know all the information to answer that. But if you know this

person, Larry, maybe you could pass the information along to her.

F. Lockridge RN, LP

Healthcare woes - one of our own

This medic is caught in the medical system she served at one time. Anyone know

anyone who can help?

Sad story of a Texas Paramedic in dire need.

http://www.chron. com/disp/ story.mpl/ metropolitan/ 5042732.html

" A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the

simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. " Proverbs 22:3

------------ --------- --------- ---

Building a website is a piece of cake.

Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online.