I read an article about several people in Norfolk who were having their benefits cut by the government, and silly me, I assumed I was reading about people located in the Norfolk, Virginia, area–instead, the article was UK-based.
But it brings up an interesting comparison in the ways both countries suck at protecting their citizens’ healthcare rights.
One of the individuals from the article suffered from dystonia, which is a complex movement disorder; the other had a stroke and was wheelchair-bound as a result.
In 2008, the UK instituted a program that assigned a Personal Budget (PB) to people in need of physical assistance for whatever reason, but as you could probably figure out, city budgets are tight and the bean counters are going for the easy prey: The Disabled.
That kind of financial maneuvering happens in the US all the time. Congress did everything they possibly could to stop the Affordable Care Act from passing–including shutting down the government (yes, Ted Cruz, I’m pointing my finger directly at you.)
Why? One of the reasons was because the Affordable Care Act called for an expansion of Medicaid programs to better help the poor and disabled.
If you’re lucky enough to be unfamiliar with Medicaid, it’s a state-by-state program that provides services to Americans who have little or no income. Yep. The bean counters were going for the easy prey, but in this case, they didn’t win.
Meanwhile, across the Pond, the Norfolk City Council is being investigated as to why it’s cutting funds for the very people they have been appointed to serve, while Prime Minister David Cameron seems to have about as much accountability as any US politician.
So, it pretty much boils down to this: Whether you live in Norfolk, England, or Norfolk, Virginia, you have to fight for your rights. Good luck with that.
