Would like the story on healthcare in MA (Boston, Andover: insurance, student loans)

[Beachcomber4]

There is a sliding scale based on income level for cost of health insurance. It is not free across the board. Children might qualify for MassHealth but an adult may not. To be honest, I do not know how a family who qualifies for MassHealth can afford to live in Massachusetts. I am not familiar with the welfare system so perhaps they give enough $ for housing and food to cover those expenses.
To move here for "free healthcare" is foolhardy. The myth of "free healthcare in MA" is as ambiguous and confusing as the Health Care Bill that the Obama administration was touting.

[brightdoglover]

I think the OP, if on disability, would be getting in a Medicaid HMO in Mass. I think if you google "Mass Health Connector" there is more info.
Regarding not driving, I think the only likely place to live is somewhere with good public transport in the Boston/Cambridge area. The other cities mentioned... Fitchburg? Taunton? Nah.
Lowell is a possibility, but has to be the right neighborhood.
I'd suggest something like Quincy (on the red line to Boston, hospitals, and Cambridge, and of course all cultural things- a short train ride from Quincy right to Boston Common). Maybe Arlington, if able to afford housing- very safe, bus right to Harvard Square and on into Boston, taxis. It's where I would live if unable to drive. Lots of studio and one-bedroom apartments for rent and sale.
So sorry the OP had to lose her beloved horse. That is so sad. I'm sure s/he didn't look to be disabled, and isn't that what tax dollars should be for?!
I hope the OP will keep us posted and finds a good health plan and good move to Mass. Best wishes.

[Browsing Duo]

Originally Posted by FutureSoxFan?

Here's a word of caution: Before you all start rushing here for the "free/cheap" health care, please realize that "low cost health care" translates to "doctors leaving the state due to low payments." This has led to a significant physician shortage, and MA has one of the worst waiting times in the country to see a primary care physician, and specialty visits are not much better. The wait for doctor visits is months in most cases, especially once you get out of the medically-saturated Boston area. Western Mass, which one poster was considering moving to, is particularly bad in this regard; there are few physicians there to begin with and the numbers are shrinking.

While all those people crowding the ERs may now have insurance, there are just as many, if not more of them, there than before because they can't get in to see an outpatient physician despite having insurance.

Think before you move. Low insurance payments aren't much good if you can't get care in a timely fashion.

Just to comment on this old post about not being able to get care in a timely wa. My husband and I didn't "rush" to MA for free or cheap health care but because we love the area, have family nearby, AND because there was mandatory universal health insurance. (My former health insurer in New York State dropped us when our group plan ended. We're incredibly healthy--knock wood--but in our early sixties, ergo undesirable to insurance companies. We could not find individual plans we could afford.)

So here we are in Western MA, upstanding, tax paying residents. We were able to get health insurance, not free, not cheap, but affordable for us. We had absolutely no problem finding doctors and both got physicals within six weeks of arriving in MA--same amount of time it took us to get appointments for physicals in New York State. Our friends and neighbors here tell us they get to see doctors right away when they're sick.

Maybe the problems this poster mentioned about unavailable doctors occurred early on when MA first went to universal health insurance and people flocked to doctors all at once. That may have been a one-time blip. In any case, we are currently very satisfied with our health coverage and timely care.
That's been our experience.

[krystil_mist]

"I am not familiar with the welfare system so perhaps they give enough $ for housing and food to cover those expenses."


Back in the 90's when I knew people on welfare, you got $486 for 1 child, and $90 a month extra for every other baby you had. Plus a hundred something in food stamps. Then the geniuses in the gov't thought people were actually only having babies for the $90, and cut that out. Then after a year or two they were actually shocked that people were still having babies. They legitamately thought the gilrs were only out for the free money, even though the baby still needs clothes, food, etc.

[felicitev21]

Yes, no one can legitimately live off of welfare. Even if you live in public housing, welfare does not pay you enough to support you and your child(ren) reasonably. I was a single mom-had a kid by an idiot- and was on welfare for a short while. If I remember correctly I got 500 a month for my child. And I believe 180 in food stamps. Now, unless you are lying to the system and have money coming from your family or the other parent, you cannot live nicely on welfare alone. Unfortunately, we all know that a lot of people out there abuse the system. These days they cut you off after something like 18 months? Not sure of the timeframe. And they also offer job training, job transportation, daycare programs, etc. I really hope that people are using these advantages that the rest of us don't get. I did qualify for Masshealth, but that was only because I had a child. Now they have developed the system so there are low cost healthcare insurance options. My mother has commonwealth care, but she complains that she pays too much and the services that she receives really suck. So I don't know if the "low cost" is really worth it. I never had any issues when I was on MassHealth myself, but I am not a person who ever goes to the Dr except for checkups, fortunately.

[Valerie C]

I beg to differ. A person I know very well is a master (mistress) of working the system. Beautiful townhouse rental, subsidised (less than $250/month rent, including heat). Food Stamps, more than she and her daughter eat, so they are able to eat lobster, steamers, sea scallops, etc. at least once each week. Mass Health, which covers all of her 'specialist' visits (years of alcohol abuse have and continue to take their toll) and she's at the Dr. office taking very expensive tests, yes, on the back of the MA tax payer. Dental is also covered, her daughter has orthodontics, while others have to pay out of pocket... Oh and her cell phone is also freeee and paid by gov't. funds... She finds work and than stays at it just long enough to get some credibality, then quits (or is laid off) and claims "stress". This has been going on for YEARS....

Originally Posted by felicitev21

Yes, no one can legitimately live off of welfare. Even if you live in public housing, welfare does not pay you enough to support you and your child(ren) reasonably.

[felicitev21]

I was referring only to those who have no other income except for welfare, and are not working the system. Like I said, in my example say if I was living in subsidized housing, that would cost me half of my welfare payment every month. Not enough left over to buy all the clothes, kids stuff-pampers, wipes, etc.that I would need. Forget about having a car because how would one afford gas and insurance. Anyways, that's what I meant.

[professorsenator]

Originally Posted by Valerie C

I beg to differ. A person I know very well is a master (mistress) of working the system...

I don't doubt it -- name a system and there will be someone who tries to work it.

But somehow lots of people overlook the most costly forms of abuse like defense industry corporations rigging the contracting system, businesses abusing tax breaks, banks that game the student loan system, and medicare fraud. These things in aggregate cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars -- if not hundreds of billions of dollars -- per year. However, the fact that this stuff happens doesn't lead some people to call for elimination of defense spending, the ending of business tax breaks, or the abolition of student loans or medicare.

But when it comes to the welfare cheat...well, that's a different story. It is then that people get up in arms about $100. cell phones and food stamps for $20. lobster. You see, it's easier for people to understand smaller dollar amounts than big ones.

After all, its a slam dunk to pick on "those" poor folks. They're politically weak and stigmatized. Sure, they take some of the toughest and least glamorous jobs out there. And, yes, they and their children disproportionally volunteer to defend the country by serving in the armed services. But because "they" are poor they must by definition be losers, right? I mean, really, who's easier to kick when they're down than a loser?

But those crooked defense industry executives and engineers, the bankers and executives, the dishonest doctors...they go to work everyday and dress well. They live in "our" nice neighborhoods and send their kids to "our" schools. They steal far, far more than the welfare cheats, but they do it respectably, quietly, and very systematically. So we don't get as mad about their cheating as we do about the welfare cheats. Because, you see, they are one of "us"... and not "them."

[ColorsOfMe]

I don't know if moving to the Springfield / Chicopee, MA area will help your healthcare situation, but know this. You will meet one of the friendliest folks you have ever known if you do move here.

[hartford_renter]

Originally Posted by felicitev21

Yes, no one can legitimately live off of welfare. Even if you live in public housing, welfare does not pay you enough to support you and your child(ren) reasonably. I was a single mom-had a kid by an idiot- and was on welfare for a short while. If I remember correctly I got 500 a month for my child. And I believe 180 in food stamps. Now, unless you are lying to the system and have money coming from your family or the other parent, you cannot live nicely on welfare alone. Unfortunately, we all know that a lot of people out there abuse the system. These days they cut you off after something like 18 months? Not sure of the timeframe. And they also offer job training, job transportation, daycare programs, etc. I really hope that people are using these advantages that the rest of us don't get. I did qualify for Masshealth, but that was only because I had a child. Now they have developed the system so there are low cost healthcare insurance options. My mother has commonwealth care, but she complains that she pays too much and the services that she receives really suck. So I don't know if the "low cost" is really worth it. I never had any issues when I was on MassHealth myself, but I am not a person who ever goes to the Dr except for checkups, fortunately.

If I had free housing (from the govt) I could easily live on 500 and 200 in food stamps.