Life or death consequences for dozens of Arizonans are butting up against the state's budget woes as legislators debate the elimination last fall of Medicaid coverage for some transplants - even as they consider additional health care cuts.
Some Arizona Democratic lawmakers have introduced bills and held news conferences with transplant candidates to call for reversal of a budget cut that eliminated coverage for some transplants last fall. They also raised the politically charged issue at a legislative hearing Wednesday, for the second day in a row.
The change eliminated coverage for approximately 100 candidates for four types of transplants and saved a projected $1.4 million in the current budget. The state's Medicaid program will still pay for a projected 85 transplants this year, down from 100 before the cut.
"I'm a human life. They seem to be picking and choosing who's going to live and who's going to die," said Mary Lou Estrada, a 62-year-old former electronics assembly worker who needs a live transplant. "It just seems they would put a life before other things."
Majority Republicans and Gov. Jan Brewer show no sign of reversing the cut. In fact, they're moving toward dropping Medicaid coverage for 280,000 adults to help close another shortfall.
Two people among those taken off transplant lists have died since the cut. One of the deaths has been attributed to the cut. The second involved a man who died during preparations for a transplant that was to have been funded through an anonymous donor's contribution.
Said Sen. Leah Landrum Taylor, D-Phoenix: "These are not numbers. These are people."
Senate Appropriations Chairman Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert, said he's well aware of the "tragic consequences" of the transplant cut that took effect Oct. 1. But the budget remains out of whack, with Brewer proposing $600 million of new borrowing to help close a projected $1.1 billion shortfall, so adding new spending to restore the transplant coverages eliminated last year is hard to contemplate, Biggs said.
"Don't think that anybody doesn't think that's not a serious issue," he said. "By the same token, because we're dealing with a zero-sum budget issue, when you move those dollars over here you're taking them from somebody else who also has serious issues. That happens any time you have socialized medicine," Biggs added. "You end up rationing health care."
Brewer spokesman Matthew Benson denied that the governor or her aides have asked that transplant coverage bills not be considered.
"What the governor is looking for is a solution to what is a $1 billion problem," Benson said. "Unfortunately, the Democrats haven't been interested in providing actual solutions to the entirety of the problem."
Rep. Anna Tovar, a Tolleson Democrat who herself is a past bone-marrow transplant recipient, said the issue should be dealt with immediately, not later.
"This small issue has been here since last year and it's not going to go away any time soon. By continuing to ignore the issue, there's definitely going to be more people getting more sick and eventually die," Tovar said.
During the hearing Wednesday, the director of the state's Medicaid program said the decision to end coverage of bone-marrow transplants involving unrelated people was based on a finding that all but one of 14 Medicaid patients who got those transplants died within two years.
State officials since have reviewed data submitted by transplant organizations and surgeons, Director Tom Betlach said.
"We have not seen anything that leads us to change what our two years of results are for unrelated bone-marrow transplants."
Democratic Rep. Matt Heniz, a physician from Tucson, said during the Wednesday hearing that the state should take heed of national studies that involved more people and found higher survival rates.
House Appropriations Chairman John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said relying on the state's figures on Medicaid enrollees in Arizona was appropriate.
"Almost everybody died. That's powerful stuff statistically," he said.
Dale Whiting posted at 7:54 pm on Wed, Feb 2, 2011.
When a "Democratic . . . physician from Tucson, said that the state should take heed of national studies that involved more people and found higher survival rates, " yet the Republican "House Appropriations Chairman John Kavanagh, . . . [says] relying on the state's figures on Medicaid enrollees in Arizona was appropriate," you know what an expert's opinion in this state is worth, squat! Let's cut the salaries of all state legislators and save not only money, but also lives. In the balance, life is worth much more!
ubu122 posted at 10:21 pm on Wed, Feb 2, 2011.
[angry][censored]
If the everyone dies approach is going to be taken then Brewer better not take any kind of medication. Be it over the counter or an asprin, because she too will eventually expire. It is just that simple. There are only two things we have to do in this world. Be a product of our parents and die. If we allow the government to determine who lives and who dies. Then we have given up all our rights as human beings.
Why provide medical care for anyone if everyone dies anyway? Why are we trying to prevent other countries from committing crimes against humanity? Why are we bothering to anything for anyone if we are just going to die?
Brewer, this is a crime against humanity! We pay the bills and Brewer should be removed!
I agree, it should be an honor and not privelge to hold a government office. None of them should be paid, it should be an unpaid volunteer position and not a job or career.
Beachbum posted at 10:31 pm on Wed, Feb 2, 2011.
Its beginning to sound eerily like Chairman Kavanagh is creating his own "death panel" aka the Arizona State Legislature and that our governor is ready to endorse his act. Since when do our fellow citizens' lives and the losses that their families face become mere statistics? We're not talking about infernal pot holes here or, heaven help us, speed cameras. We're talking about what we can do to help save or prolong the lives of those among us who are least able to handle what they have been dealt.
ubu122 posted at 10:59 pm on Wed, Feb 2, 2011.
If a hospital cannot turn away someone because they cannot pay. Then the state should not be able to pick and chose the coverage it provides.
They are trying to pull a fast one! [sneaky]
Budget cuts have NEVER REDUCED A DEFICIT OR SPENDING. BORROWING 600 MILLION DOES NOT REDUCE THE DEFICIT, IT INCREASES IT! The state needs to switch its focus from reducing spending to increasing income. I suggest that they figure out a way to earn money. I don't mean sell things off or increase taxes. They need to find a way to work for the money. They can do one of those contests to see who can sell the most books or cookies. Like the ones we did in school. They spent it. They can replace it.
Sorry for the yelling, but its an outrage! Wasn't there something about not being able to turn away Medicaid coverage for illegals? We can turn away Americans, but not illegals. Seems everyone who isn't an American is protected and have more rights than we do.
chrissy posted at 1:14 am on Thu, Feb 3, 2011.
The Medic Aid had been so much abused by people who are drug addicts and psychos and now those people that are really sick and needing help are suffering. Also , the hospitals are suffering coz AHCCSS will not fully refund these pts. bills. Best thing to do LAZY PEOPLE is to go out and find a JOB and get a HEALTH INSURANCE and not depend for what the state will give you.....
US Citizen posted at 5:59 am on Thu, Feb 3, 2011.
Wake up people !!! The state is broke. Government cannot pay for everything. Stop the whining and do for yourself instead of others doing for you. Educate yourself and read before spouting off rhetoric.
ofuque2 posted at 7:39 am on Thu, Feb 3, 2011.
I will readily agree with Medicaid cuts and cuts for funding transplants when Brewer and our State Legislature take away ALL of the tax cuts for big business and the rich. As Medicaid funding is being put on the chopping block, tax cuts for big business and the rich are being expanded in our state. Trickle-down economics is a sham supported by the Republicans as a way to make the rich richer and to shift the tax burden to the middle class. It has never worked and never will. If you give tax cuts to big-business and the rich, they will simply keep the extra money and there will be no scores of new jobs created as promised. They like to talk about Obama's death squads!! We currently have actual names and faces to match to Brewer's cuts to Medicaid. That cannot be said for Obama's health care plan.
percivale posted at 1:11 pm on Thu, Feb 3, 2011.
Because my profession I was able to be in 34 states and 4 countries and I must say never see a place so miserable in compassion , respect to obey the law in daily life (Traffic) uncorncern about people in distress that Arizona . When you look or listen to the Governor or Senators we see only ignorance on how to do their jobs. the Republican people accused Obama of creating Death panels but I see that created by the Republican controlled government Of Arizona and yes if you look at reports and statistics Arizona is inthe top 10 in all that is bad including education , healthcare job creation etc etc etc therefore is clear that the people and government of Arizona enjoy being a third world state.
Bingo6 posted at 1:29 pm on Thu, Feb 3, 2011.
This is of course nothing more that Arizona right-wing state sanctioned premeditated murder.
. . . . First they come for the sick and disabled, then the brown people, what next Democrats, reindoctrination centers.
Oh, excuse me they already have those, white private evangelical brainwashing institutes.
Will De-facto Governor Pearce send his storm troopers to burn the state house.
Germany, post WWII , anyone.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 3:25 pm on Thu, Feb 3, 2011.
As readers can see from the Democrats...nothing but 100% FREE.."cradle to grave" Socialized Medicine will make them happy. If every single transplant were paid for by Arizona tax-payer's hard earned dollars...they would want "100% Free Dental Coverage"...."100% Free Vision Care.."100% Free Psychiatric Care"..."100% FREE EVERYTHING" for the poor.
These Democrats won't be happy until America is flying the Red Flag and our schools are teaching a Marxist/Leninist lifestyle and America is another Cuba.
If the Democrats are so sickened by what is happening in Arizona vis-a-vis "transplants"....then I would suggest that they sponsor a Democrat telethon and raise the money to fund these operations. If Churches feel that the State of Arizona is not doing what the Prince of Peace would have done.....then during services or the Mass... "pass the collection basket" and the congregation can show by their donations the "humanity" that they say Arizona's Political Leaders lack just because there is a "DEFICIT" (trying to explain what a Deficit is to a Democrat is like trying to explain quotum physics to a Jivaro head-hunter from the Amazon).
samkat posted at 5:53 pm on Thu, Feb 3, 2011.
I find it interesting that our conservative legislature is pushing laws to prevent abortions to save lives yet they are willing to let a certain segment of our society die needlessly for a measly 1.4 dollars.
EmperorSmith posted at 9:41 pm on Thu, Feb 3, 2011.
I also find that interesting also. I give 1000:1 they against assisted suicide.
EmperorSmith posted at 9:43 pm on Thu, Feb 3, 2011.
they will be happy may 11 right, lol Well if they are i will be.