Schwarzenegger Bans Welfare Cards at Psychics

[Skeptic Ginger]

Originally Posted by quadraginta

In NC people can buy candy with their assistance cards at the grocery store, but not toothpaste.

Go figure.

Which program is that? General assistance? A food program of some kind? Does NC have more than one program?

[Dancing David]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

What an opportunity here to provide just food, shelter and other necessities for people on welfare. On the other hand, if someone is on state or federal disability, (as opposed to a private policy) do we impose the same restrictions?

Currently there are no limits on cash assistance, now the food program is sort of strange and changing, in the past no TP or toothpaste, and you could buy a frozen burrito, but not if you micro waved it first (at a gas station)

Quote:

As for other prescription drugs, lots of state Medicaid programs have limited formularies for covered drugs. The first one I looked up, New Jersey, says pot is not a covered drug. The OP article is about welfare payments, not medical coverage. In most states (maybe all?) if you are on welfare you qualify for state Medicaid medical coverage. But they are separate programs.

Well due to Welfare Reform^TM from the Clinton Era, it is very hard to qualify for the medical benefit; you must be a minor in poverty, disabled or the parent of a minor in poverty, or elederly in poverty. However under TANF there is a five year limit of the medical coverage for the parents. Able bodied people do not qualify for the medical benefit (by and large) unless there is a determination of presumptive eligibility for disability. (But it has been five years since I worked with this stuff). States vary in eligibility and requirements.

Cash assistance is often based upon poverty solely, although you usually have to have kids.

[Dancing David]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

Which program is that? General assistance? A food program of some kind? Does NC have more than one program?

That is most likely the food program, this is the way the 'food stamp' program worked as well.

Theer are a number of tracks, at teh state level you usually have the 'assistamce' track and the 'food stamp' track, although in most states able bodied adult rarely qualify for either. They are also income based so often the elederly may or may not qualify.

Then there are often county, township and municipal programs.

[Dancing David]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

You were told so it must be a fact.

When I was a teen, a lid was an ounce. The idea the term came from the volume of an actual lid is interesting though. Never heard that before.

Some of my friends are a bit older than I am...

[Dancing David]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

Food stamps (now dispensed by debit card in all states, I'm pretty sure) is also separate from a welfare debit card and medical coupons that you use to pay for medical services if you are on Medicaid.

See my earlier post #28.

Thanks I am aware of that.

[Percent]

My understanding about the cards here is that people were actually just cashing them out via ATM machines at places as outlandish as the local casinos, as reported in the L.A. Times. Instead of receiving a monthly check, the accounts are credited, like an electronic deposit of a paycheck each month into a checking account. Then the recipient of the state aid need only take cash out of an ATM that works for the CA debit card.

This L.A. Times article lists some of the places that had active ATMs. People here (I live Behind the Orange Curtain) were outraged last summer.

A quote from the article:

Quote:

In June, Schwarzenegger eliminated casinos and poker rooms from the network after The Times reported that more than half of the licensed gambling establishments in California had ATMs that accepted the cards.
The casinos were listed on a Department of Social Services website that allows welfare recipients to search for addresses of ATMs where they can withdraw cash provided under the Temporary Aid for Needy Families program.
Last month, Schwarzenegger ordered casinos outside of California removed from the network after The Times reported more than $69 million in welfare benefits had been accessed from machines outside of the state since 2007, including nearly $12 million in Las Vegas.

No need to worry about what was covered or not. One only had to convert to cash, as a standard welfare check could be converted, then purchase whatever with the cash. The issue here was that the ATM machines were located in bars, casinos, etc. I think part of the monies (the food stamp part) are restricted but I think part are totally convertible to cash.

Now psychics and pot shops have been added to the list of places that can't sport these ATM machines. Medi-Cal, the health insurance component of aid in CA, is a separate program. I suspect there are prescription drugs that aren't covered by Medi-Cal. There are certainly prescription drugs that aren't covered by my private insurance .

Anne

[Skeptic Ginger]

Originally Posted by Dancing David

...
Well due to Welfare Reform^TM from the Clinton Era, it is very hard to qualify for the medical benefit; you must be a minor in poverty, disabled or the parent of a minor in poverty, or elederly in poverty. However under TANF there is a five year limit of the medical coverage for the parents. Able bodied people do not qualify for the medical benefit (by and large) unless there is a determination of presumptive eligibility for disability. (But it has been five years since I worked with this stuff). States vary in eligibility and requirements.

Cash assistance is often based upon poverty solely, although you usually have to have kids.

A lot of welfare programs are state run not federal, including some medical coverage. So federal welfare reform would not impact everything, only where federal funds are used.

[PixyMisa]

Originally Posted by Olowkow

Back in the early '70s I got food stamps for a short while, and when I discovered that I couldn't buy beer with them, we bought the malt and sugar and made our own.

You saved money and learned a trade. The system works!

[Psi Baba]

Originally Posted by sadhatter

....lid? I assume it is a dope reference, but i have never heard it myself.

Kind of funny considering your screen name. Do a search for a 1970s children's TV show called "Lidsville" about a kid who gets transported to a magical land populated by living hats . . . and Charles Nelson Reilley. Believe me, creators Sid & Marty Krofft where smoking something when they came up with that one. More than a few lids, I'm sure.

[Senex]

Typical republican anti-business legislation.