I know that not everyone is going to agree with me, but I need to speak about it. I am speaking about health insurance in the US, as this is a community of people with health conditions. I am not here to fear monger; rather to educate. I am voicing my concerns and fears, again.

In the United States, healthcare for vulnerable populations is under threat. This is a simple fact that can easily be fact checked through a simple google search. The “Big Beautiful Bill” has already passed through one branch of government and is on its way to the senate. There are huge cuts to Medicaid and Medicare being proposed, which will absolutely impact citizens; both those who receive these benefits, and those who get healthcare from places that receive money from these safety nets.

The only people in office who are saying this is to eradicate “waste, fraud, and abuse” are lying. I contact people in office and have been told me this, after pushing back on the rhetoric. Independent news sources confirm this as well. The bill was initially presented as something only impacting Medicaid. Many sources were confused because it would be impossible to get the funds they are requesting by cutting Medicaid alone. It came out the day before the bill was voted on that Medicare cuts are also in the bill. As well as money for food assistance. Again, this is being presented as cutting off assistance for people who are abusing the system. There is not $8 billion dollars of fraud. The money they are “saving” is going to give tax breaks to the wealthiest in the county- again, a simple fact that can be googled and confirmed through reputable sources.

It is important to understand what propaganda is. It is important to educate ourselves on things like media biases, types of language, and how to discern credible sources and information. It is also important to know when you are being lied to and/or manipulated. Misinformation is rampant- including what comes out of the mouths of those in office. This is not to say other administrations have been perfect and I’m not here to discuss “what about ism” because that is taking away from what is right in front of us.

I don’t know how many people here are US citizens that receive government benefits. I do know that my lived experience in the system has shown me how much people in the system are dismissed and scapegoated. I also have learned how hard it is to get the correct services and resources as a disabled citizen. If you haven’t lived within the confines of the US disability system, you may not understand how fragile these supports are.

I am going to reiterate this point- I am disabled and receive less than $1,000 to survive on (I am on SSI). Housing vouchers are so hard to get that many people are homeless for years (see my posts from 2021-2023). I also was only receiving food assistance that totaled around $70 a month the last time I checked. Most people do not get approved for disability right away and have to fight in court to receive this assistance that isn’t even enough to survive on.

Hoping this goes away will not help those who are at risk. And, I am not trying to be offensive and this may lose some friends, prayers are not going to solve this. People suffer all the time and it’s not because they didn’t pray hard enough (absolutely continue to pray if it helps you). Disabled people have been fighting for their rights for a very long time. We have to advocate for ourselves, in whatever capacity we can. I know I cannot do things like attend protests. Personally I am calling my senators and representative as often as I can. My senators do not answer or call me back- which is saying a lot about the state of the union. I have been contacting them on social media and find many others doing the same because constituents cannot reach the people who are supposed to represent them. I am staying informed enough but not overconsumed. I am bringing my concerns to my therapists who help me navigate these by action. If anyone has been doing other ways of outreach/advocacy please let me know. I would love new ideas to continue to advocate for those of us who need it.

As an ending note- I am a Taylor Swift fan and I am hoping that she drops Reputation TV today. 😅

#Disability #ADHD #Agoraphobia #PanicDisorder #ChronicVestibularMigraine #Migraine #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #idontrememberwhatelseihaveatthispoint