Letter: Medicaid for envoys, but not Americans?
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announces that 29 Russian diplomats and their spouses were charged on with fraudulently claiming Medicaid benefits for pregnancy, birth and newborn care while posted in New York City. (Dec. 5, 2013) Credit: Bryan Smith
The news story "$1.5M Medicaid fraud linked to Russian envoys" [Dec. 6] is outrageous. It says that 49 Russian diplomats and their spouses splurged on luxury goods while fraudulently claiming Medicaid benefits during their postings in New York City.
I am livid. I could not get a Medicaid card for either one of my parents for the simple reason that for most of 75 years, they worked, paid their taxes and saved. The elder care attorney we hired ran a report listing all interest earnings for the last five years, which is apparently the same document Medicaid uses.
My parents would have to go through their modest nest egg before Medicaid would even talk to them.
My father is a World War II D-Day veteran who lost his twin in the Battle of the Bulge. He was denied Medicaid, but the United States has the resources to give away $1.5 million to non-citizens who have never paid taxes, and no one's head will roll? This country is doomed.
Gene Rosa, Holbrook
