| SpongeOsophy Essay |
| Rant-Em Musings A political essay about the disability "system" |
Disclaimer: Those of you who read my writings on a regular basis know that I don't normally
discuss politics on this site. I am of the opinion that professional athletes and others that
have no experience in politics should keep their opinions to themselves. Those that have
made politics their livelihood (like Warrior with the conservative movement) are a different
story. However, this page will mostly be about the disability "system." I can assure you,
dear reader, I have 15 years of experience with this quagmire, therefore my opinions are
informed. I am certain that my opinion will come as a shock to some. Read on if you dare.
discuss politics on this site. I am of the opinion that professional athletes and others that
have no experience in politics should keep their opinions to themselves. Those that have
made politics their livelihood (like Warrior with the conservative movement) are a different
story. However, this page will mostly be about the disability "system." I can assure you,
dear reader, I have 15 years of experience with this quagmire, therefore my opinions are
informed. I am certain that my opinion will come as a shock to some. Read on if you dare.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Memo To: My elected federal legislators in Washington, D. C.
From: Dwain "Sponge Daddy" Koch, professional bowler, speaker
Date: May 19, 2005
Subject: Social Security Disability
Ladies and Gentlemen, please get a clue.
Be well,
Sponge
From: Dwain "Sponge Daddy" Koch, professional bowler, speaker
Date: May 19, 2005
Subject: Social Security Disability
Ladies and Gentlemen, please get a clue.
Be well,
Sponge
How many of you would like to tell the government that? They really have no clue what it is like to live
on social security disability. After all, they don't have to rely on social security, yet they tell society they
know how to secure our future. Rest assured other than my childhood I have never felt more INsecure
in my life. When my wife Raine was in a coma and had no brain wave activity two years ago, I had
more faith in her coming out of it than I do in you elected officials to secure our country's disabled.
Unlike you folks in the beltway, I KNOW what I am talking about here. I invite you to read on.
I am writing this essay because I got some more bad news from the government today (aren't we all
used to that?). See, Raine and I recently became two of the "uninsured" that everyone talks about yet
does nothing. We could no longer afford the outrageous cost of COBRA health insurance.
Let me back up a bit please. When she was to go back to work six months after the coma, she was
told her company was closing its office; she was laid off. We were given the option to continue paying
for our own health insurance (at incredible rates).
I know, you might be thinking, "since you are on disability, don't you get a medical card." Well, the
medical card is what they call medicAID. It is a program for the disabled (and others) that have very
low incomes. If you have medicAID, you get free doctor visits, free (or $1 each) prescriptions, and in
some cases eyeglasses. But, receiving social security does NOT mean you automatically get
medicAID. Your check has to be below $570 per month to get the medicAID. Your disability income is
based upon what your income was before the disability-make more money, get more, fair enough.
Make more than that cutoff amount and you are on your own. Now, you DO get mediCARE for free
(same as seniors), but that is only part A. Part A mediCARE only covers IN-HOSPITAL expenses.
Things like blood tests, x-rays, treatments, endoscopy, doctors visits are not covered under part A.
They fall under part B, which you have to sign up for and pay about $75 per month (usually).
Part of the danger is that part B does NOT cover medication. Now medicine IS covered IF you are a
senior citizen. However, if you are young and disabled you have to try other venues to get your
medicine, like health insurance.
Of the 15 prescriptions I take, most are generic (why take a new medicine if the old one does the job
just fine?). Now only two of them are needed for me to stay alive. The rest are for pain, tremors, etc.
and are for the most part quality of life medicines. If I have to, I can live without them. However, being
a productive member of society is out of the question without the pills. Since mediCARE does NOT
cover my medicines I chose NOT to take part B. I would be paying over $600 for health insurance
anyway, why double cover and pay extra for something that would give me no extra coverage? I saved
myself $75 per month that way. Also, since my private insurance paid for the tests, etc. in a years time
I estimate I saved taxpayers about $17,000 from January 2004 to March 2005.
Well, today I called the social INsecurity administration to sign up for part B. (Please keep in mind
here that this is only for ME. There are no plans I know of for my wife, an insulin dependant diabetic)
The young lady on the phone was very apologetic when she informed me that I should have applied for
part B when Raine lost her job in 2004, not when we lost our insurance. Since I waited until now I
would have to wait until January of 2006 to apply for part B. She tried, this poor girl did. She even put
me on hold while she conferred with her boss. I could hear the sorrow in her voice. I am sure she
heard the smoke coming out of my ears.
Well, now that Raine has been laid off again (the economy is terrible, no matter what the numbers say)
she is collecting unemployment. Add her $850 per month to my $840 per month and once again we
"make too much" for either of us to qualify for anything. (I want to thank my ex-wife here for covering our
children) When I wrote to my esteemed federal Senator, all I got in return from Mr. McConnell was a
form letter telling me that I MIGHT be able to get part B paid for. Okay, we tried that. Guess what? We
still make too much. Take off what we pay for life necessities and I assure you that Raine and I are not
living in luxury. So here we are playing "medicine roulette" only buying what we MUST have and
rationing the rest as symptoms appear.
There are programs that we have applied for to get the medicine we need. I hope that they feel we
qualify (by the numbers, we do, but I take nothing for granted). We are now at the mercy of these drug
companies to get the medicine we need to stay alive.
For the past while I have been taking Remicade treatments. These I.V. treatments cost about $8,900
each, or every eight weeks. Obviously, this is one medicine I cannot afford so they have been
suspended for now. This is rough too. Before Remicade therapy I was in the hospital all of the time.
Since Remicade came along I have not been an inpatient since July of 2001, when I set the record for
low potassium and living. I am a few weeks behind the scheduled treatment now and my health has
taken a serious nosedive. The fatigue is incredible. I feel as if I just ran ten miles up hill, yet my feet
have not touched the floor. Where a few months ago it was a few bad days per month, then a few per
week; I now have perhaps one good day per week. I am losing control of my bowels every day. My diet
has been reduced to mostly high sugar liquids to maintain my weight.
I have digressed.
What do I think the representatives in Washington should do? Get their damn hands out of disability.
By that I mean do away with the federal disability system.
I know some of you are sitting there with your mouths open right now. How could someone who may
not be getting enough from the programs that I need to live say, "get rid of the program?" It is quite
simple, I assure you.
It all goes back to the memo at the top. They (those inside the beltway) really don't have a clue. They
don't have to worry about begging for treatments because their stuff is and forever will be paid for. I am
sure some think that they are doing good by providing for the disabled at the federal level. I can
assure you that I have suffered more from their system than I have from these illnesses. There are
holes in the safety net big enough for Shamu the killer whale to swim through. When they hear about
one of these holes they apply a patch here and there. I believe it is time to throw the whole net away.
What is the answer then?
Have you ever read the Constitution? The Tenth Amendment to that great document provides that this
type of program is the business of the states. This type of system is one of the "reserved" powers.
I suggest that all of those currently receiving benefits can continue to do so. But after some future date
all of those who become disabled will become the responsibility of the state. If the state wants to
provide huge benefits, then that state can pay for them. If a state wants to provide for basic
necessities alone, that is the right of the voters in that state. This way of approaching it will give us 50
different experiments to get it right. Eventually one of them will come up with a near perfect system that
the rest will follow.
There is a great deal of hand-wringing in D.C. right now about Social INsecurity. There will be lots of
talk and eventually nothing will be done. No one has the stones in Washington to tell the truth, Social
Security is a ponzi scheme that is going broke. However, because senior citizens are a powerful
voting block nothing will be done to save costs. Then both sides will slap each other on the back
telling voters, "We tried." Meanwhile disabled people are dying. State legislators are so much more
reachable.
One thing that is ironic is that while tests and such will not be covered, if i were to be hospitalized the
taxpayers would foot a much higher bill. I can tell you that unless my situation changes, I will end up in
the hospital this year. I can feel this thing eating me up inside, literally. I still try to bowl, but I am on
the verge of collapse when I do, and my average reflects it. Professional bowling for now is out of the
question, even if I had a full time sponsor.
I just believe that I have been shafted. If I hadn't worked 60 hours a week to get through college, I
would have had a lower income, and therefore my disability check would be lower, therefore I would
get free health care and the medicines that have kept me alive. This is my reward for trying to improve
my lot in life. Meanwhile I watch the professional sponges (pun intended) get everything and then
some. The crap with Part B? That is my reward for trying to pay my own way.
For now, Raine's medicine comes first, then mine. If we can't afford both, ladies first as they say. I
have had the luxury of being married to one fine lady. I owe much that I have become to her. Her
needs will always come before mine.
Please don't write me offering to send money. While that might help me, I assure you there are many
more like me out there that have it just as bad. If you want to help, please right now e-mail your federal
legislator and tell them you want ME to come testify about Social security reform. My contact info is on
the contact page in this web site.
If you still aren't fuming, let me tell you this one final thing. Those who are on death row right now, the
states HAVE to provide them the medicine they need. But, if you obey the law and try to be a productive
member of society and become sick from a genetic illness, you just might get the death sentence.
Be well,
Sponge
05/19/2005
on social security disability. After all, they don't have to rely on social security, yet they tell society they
know how to secure our future. Rest assured other than my childhood I have never felt more INsecure
in my life. When my wife Raine was in a coma and had no brain wave activity two years ago, I had
more faith in her coming out of it than I do in you elected officials to secure our country's disabled.
Unlike you folks in the beltway, I KNOW what I am talking about here. I invite you to read on.
I am writing this essay because I got some more bad news from the government today (aren't we all
used to that?). See, Raine and I recently became two of the "uninsured" that everyone talks about yet
does nothing. We could no longer afford the outrageous cost of COBRA health insurance.
Let me back up a bit please. When she was to go back to work six months after the coma, she was
told her company was closing its office; she was laid off. We were given the option to continue paying
for our own health insurance (at incredible rates).
I know, you might be thinking, "since you are on disability, don't you get a medical card." Well, the
medical card is what they call medicAID. It is a program for the disabled (and others) that have very
low incomes. If you have medicAID, you get free doctor visits, free (or $1 each) prescriptions, and in
some cases eyeglasses. But, receiving social security does NOT mean you automatically get
medicAID. Your check has to be below $570 per month to get the medicAID. Your disability income is
based upon what your income was before the disability-make more money, get more, fair enough.
Make more than that cutoff amount and you are on your own. Now, you DO get mediCARE for free
(same as seniors), but that is only part A. Part A mediCARE only covers IN-HOSPITAL expenses.
Things like blood tests, x-rays, treatments, endoscopy, doctors visits are not covered under part A.
They fall under part B, which you have to sign up for and pay about $75 per month (usually).
Part of the danger is that part B does NOT cover medication. Now medicine IS covered IF you are a
senior citizen. However, if you are young and disabled you have to try other venues to get your
medicine, like health insurance.
Of the 15 prescriptions I take, most are generic (why take a new medicine if the old one does the job
just fine?). Now only two of them are needed for me to stay alive. The rest are for pain, tremors, etc.
and are for the most part quality of life medicines. If I have to, I can live without them. However, being
a productive member of society is out of the question without the pills. Since mediCARE does NOT
cover my medicines I chose NOT to take part B. I would be paying over $600 for health insurance
anyway, why double cover and pay extra for something that would give me no extra coverage? I saved
myself $75 per month that way. Also, since my private insurance paid for the tests, etc. in a years time
I estimate I saved taxpayers about $17,000 from January 2004 to March 2005.
Well, today I called the social INsecurity administration to sign up for part B. (Please keep in mind
here that this is only for ME. There are no plans I know of for my wife, an insulin dependant diabetic)
The young lady on the phone was very apologetic when she informed me that I should have applied for
part B when Raine lost her job in 2004, not when we lost our insurance. Since I waited until now I
would have to wait until January of 2006 to apply for part B. She tried, this poor girl did. She even put
me on hold while she conferred with her boss. I could hear the sorrow in her voice. I am sure she
heard the smoke coming out of my ears.
Well, now that Raine has been laid off again (the economy is terrible, no matter what the numbers say)
she is collecting unemployment. Add her $850 per month to my $840 per month and once again we
"make too much" for either of us to qualify for anything. (I want to thank my ex-wife here for covering our
children) When I wrote to my esteemed federal Senator, all I got in return from Mr. McConnell was a
form letter telling me that I MIGHT be able to get part B paid for. Okay, we tried that. Guess what? We
still make too much. Take off what we pay for life necessities and I assure you that Raine and I are not
living in luxury. So here we are playing "medicine roulette" only buying what we MUST have and
rationing the rest as symptoms appear.
There are programs that we have applied for to get the medicine we need. I hope that they feel we
qualify (by the numbers, we do, but I take nothing for granted). We are now at the mercy of these drug
companies to get the medicine we need to stay alive.
For the past while I have been taking Remicade treatments. These I.V. treatments cost about $8,900
each, or every eight weeks. Obviously, this is one medicine I cannot afford so they have been
suspended for now. This is rough too. Before Remicade therapy I was in the hospital all of the time.
Since Remicade came along I have not been an inpatient since July of 2001, when I set the record for
low potassium and living. I am a few weeks behind the scheduled treatment now and my health has
taken a serious nosedive. The fatigue is incredible. I feel as if I just ran ten miles up hill, yet my feet
have not touched the floor. Where a few months ago it was a few bad days per month, then a few per
week; I now have perhaps one good day per week. I am losing control of my bowels every day. My diet
has been reduced to mostly high sugar liquids to maintain my weight.
I have digressed.
What do I think the representatives in Washington should do? Get their damn hands out of disability.
By that I mean do away with the federal disability system.
I know some of you are sitting there with your mouths open right now. How could someone who may
not be getting enough from the programs that I need to live say, "get rid of the program?" It is quite
simple, I assure you.
It all goes back to the memo at the top. They (those inside the beltway) really don't have a clue. They
don't have to worry about begging for treatments because their stuff is and forever will be paid for. I am
sure some think that they are doing good by providing for the disabled at the federal level. I can
assure you that I have suffered more from their system than I have from these illnesses. There are
holes in the safety net big enough for Shamu the killer whale to swim through. When they hear about
one of these holes they apply a patch here and there. I believe it is time to throw the whole net away.
What is the answer then?
Have you ever read the Constitution? The Tenth Amendment to that great document provides that this
type of program is the business of the states. This type of system is one of the "reserved" powers.
I suggest that all of those currently receiving benefits can continue to do so. But after some future date
all of those who become disabled will become the responsibility of the state. If the state wants to
provide huge benefits, then that state can pay for them. If a state wants to provide for basic
necessities alone, that is the right of the voters in that state. This way of approaching it will give us 50
different experiments to get it right. Eventually one of them will come up with a near perfect system that
the rest will follow.
There is a great deal of hand-wringing in D.C. right now about Social INsecurity. There will be lots of
talk and eventually nothing will be done. No one has the stones in Washington to tell the truth, Social
Security is a ponzi scheme that is going broke. However, because senior citizens are a powerful
voting block nothing will be done to save costs. Then both sides will slap each other on the back
telling voters, "We tried." Meanwhile disabled people are dying. State legislators are so much more
reachable.
One thing that is ironic is that while tests and such will not be covered, if i were to be hospitalized the
taxpayers would foot a much higher bill. I can tell you that unless my situation changes, I will end up in
the hospital this year. I can feel this thing eating me up inside, literally. I still try to bowl, but I am on
the verge of collapse when I do, and my average reflects it. Professional bowling for now is out of the
question, even if I had a full time sponsor.
I just believe that I have been shafted. If I hadn't worked 60 hours a week to get through college, I
would have had a lower income, and therefore my disability check would be lower, therefore I would
get free health care and the medicines that have kept me alive. This is my reward for trying to improve
my lot in life. Meanwhile I watch the professional sponges (pun intended) get everything and then
some. The crap with Part B? That is my reward for trying to pay my own way.
For now, Raine's medicine comes first, then mine. If we can't afford both, ladies first as they say. I
have had the luxury of being married to one fine lady. I owe much that I have become to her. Her
needs will always come before mine.
Please don't write me offering to send money. While that might help me, I assure you there are many
more like me out there that have it just as bad. If you want to help, please right now e-mail your federal
legislator and tell them you want ME to come testify about Social security reform. My contact info is on
the contact page in this web site.
If you still aren't fuming, let me tell you this one final thing. Those who are on death row right now, the
states HAVE to provide them the medicine they need. But, if you obey the law and try to be a productive
member of society and become sick from a genetic illness, you just might get the death sentence.
Be well,
Sponge
05/19/2005
