Michigan woman dies after Medicaid dental care is cut

icon gravatar.comwww.wsws.org/articles/2009/nov2009/mich-n04.shtml
sent by Sparrows since 17 days 11 hours 20 minutes, published about 16 days 22 hours 16 minutes
An elderly Michigan woman died in October as the result of a severe dental infection after adult dental Medicaid benefits were cut in the state. Blanche D. LaVire, 76, had been diagnosed with abscesses earlier in the year and reportedly suffered from advanced periodontitis. Because LaVire was mentally challenged, she required special treatment. Her condition was such that her doctors felt it would be unwise to undergo treatment in a dentist’s office. Advised to have the necessary procedure performed in a hospital, LaVire was then scheduled for an oral surgery near the end of June. The procedure was delayed when LaVire contracted pneumonia. Once she had recovered from the pneumonia, doctors attempted to reschedule LaVire’s procedure, but discovered she was no longer covered by Medicaid. An executive order issued by Michigan’s Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm had taken effect on July 1 that dramatically cut adult dental Medicaid benefits. All oral health services were eliminated by the order, with the exception of emergency services.---
tags: medicaid, dental care, cut, michigan, death
4 commentscategory: Abuse of Power/Corruption karma: 153

comments

  1. #1    Doctors began the filing procedure to prove that LaVire’s case was indeed an emergency, but her infection was growing worse. With LaVire left unable to afford care, dentists with Michigan’s Dental Clinics North volunteered to treat her for free, but Medicaid would not pay the $5,000 hospital fees. LaVire then had no choice but to wait, hoping to be approved for emergency dental coverage. She died, still waiting, on October 7. Gerald Case, health officer with the Health Department of Northwest Michigan, spoke bluntly on the horror of the situation, saying, “Frankly, by the time the documentation was put together, she died.”
    written by Sparrows since 17 days 11 hours 19 minutesSparrows
  2. #2    This sounds a bit like manslaughter to me. Or maybe murder.
    written by OrwellWasAnOptimist since 16 days 21 hours 32 minutesOrwellWasAnOptimist
  3. #3    This is not news, it happens far too often. But the GOP, in their infinite wisdom has decided that allowing people to simply be treated is socialist. I guess it's better to let them just die, right GOP? I mean after all, like Scrooge said, fewer people leaves more stuff for the rest of us. So logically there is no need for universal health care, right? After all the system currently in place appears to be working as intended, providing for those who can afford it and shunning those who cannot.
    I guess those who cannot could follow in those magical words of Erik Canter, I believe it was him, who suggested to a lady who could not get care to ask for charity. My God, do the repubs even listen to the continual stream of garbage coming out of their mouths? Yet another reason I will NEVER EVER vote for a republican again, ever.
    written by sander since 16 days 19 hours 38 minutessander
  4. #4    I will beg to differ with you one this one aspect. If this is NOT NEWS, then nothing is. You will see how big this news is, as the healthcare bill that is passed by the Dems sets in.
    written by Sparrows since 16 days 12 hours 55 minutesSparrows
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