My encounter yesterday with a gentleman left me feeling inadequate. You see, in Arizona, budget cuts have had a profound effect on nearly everyone from the very top to the very bottom. I was blindsided by a situation resulting from one of these necessary budget cuts. Now.. I say necessary because when a balanced budget is needed someone always, always loses. There is no way to cut a budget without a loser.
In this case budget cuts at the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) have trickled down to have a huge impact on the homeless. Co-pays have been introduced for many vital medications in certain circumstances. The co-pay in the case of this gentleman was $4... but he had five necessary prescriptions that needed to be filled every month (he showed me he actually had nine but he explained he could live without the other four if I was only help him with the five). Now.. I myself lack insurance; falling quite neatly into that in-between-er category. I am employed however, so $4 sounds like a pretty sweet deal. Unless you are homeless with no income at all. Then $4 x 5 might as well equal $100. And understand me here.. this man is not alone. My understanding is there are at least 100 prescriptions that need to be filled by clients on the Human Services Campus. NECESSARY scripts! Vital to life medications!
The agencies on the Human Services Campus are working collectively to find a solution to help these men and women continue to receive their medications. Perhaps you'd like to help? Adopt a person perhaps? Assist with ideas? Contact a congressman? Speak out? Brainstorm? Contact me at: tracygeivett@gmail.com.
I was left with a feeling of inadequacy because the budget in my office (www.azhomeless.org) has also been cut. We cannot pay for prescription co-pays. No funds. So in these very difficult times perhaps those of us who have a little more can pick up the slack.. even if it's only $4.
In this case budget cuts at the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) have trickled down to have a huge impact on the homeless. Co-pays have been introduced for many vital medications in certain circumstances. The co-pay in the case of this gentleman was $4... but he had five necessary prescriptions that needed to be filled every month (he showed me he actually had nine but he explained he could live without the other four if I was only help him with the five). Now.. I myself lack insurance; falling quite neatly into that in-between-er category. I am employed however, so $4 sounds like a pretty sweet deal. Unless you are homeless with no income at all. Then $4 x 5 might as well equal $100. And understand me here.. this man is not alone. My understanding is there are at least 100 prescriptions that need to be filled by clients on the Human Services Campus. NECESSARY scripts! Vital to life medications!
The agencies on the Human Services Campus are working collectively to find a solution to help these men and women continue to receive their medications. Perhaps you'd like to help? Adopt a person perhaps? Assist with ideas? Contact a congressman? Speak out? Brainstorm? Contact me at: tracygeivett@gmail.com.
I was left with a feeling of inadequacy because the budget in my office (www.azhomeless.org) has also been cut. We cannot pay for prescription co-pays. No funds. So in these very difficult times perhaps those of us who have a little more can pick up the slack.. even if it's only $4.
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