Hawaii Bill to Classify Homelessness as Medical Condition

[Orlong]

Im sorry I forgot to link the source in the first thread I made about this. Ive added it now.

This is one of the most absurd things Ive ever seen. Hawaii wants to classify homelessness as a medical condition now. Homelessness is not a medical condition, its a condition born from laziness or poor life decisions.

I know they have to have an alternative reason for doing this and I believe its because there are several large cities in the US that give free one way plane tickets to homeless people to leave their state and most go to Hawaii because its always warm so they have a huge problem with it in Hawaii. By classifying it as a medical condition they can probably get the homeless on disability or something which will cause taxes to go up even more.

The most ludicrous part about the whole thing is by classifying it as a medical condition, health insurers and medicaid will have to pay for "Prescription housing"

http://www.fox30jax.com/news/hawaii-...tion/488251799

As an emergency room doctor, Hawaii Sen. Josh Green sees homeless patients suffering from diabetes, mental health problems and an array of medical issues that are more difficult to manage when they are homeless or do not have permanent housing.
That's why Green says he wants homelessness classified under Hawaii state law as a medical condition.

If homelessness is a disease, he reasons, then doctors should be able to write prescriptions for the cure: Housing.

"It is paradigm shift for sure, but the single best thing we can do today is to allow physicians and health care providers in general to write prescriptions for housing," Green said.

Green last week introduced a bill in the Hawaii Legislature to classify chronic homelessness as a medical condition and require insurance companies to cover treatment of the condition.

But if a doctor wrote a prescription for six months of housing, where would the patient fill the prescription?

That's where Green wants Medicaid to step in.

He wants to redirect some of Hawaii's $2 billion annual Medicaid budget to pay for housing.

[Dextroden]

He....he can't be serious, right?

[Puremallace]

Tell that to homeless veterans with PTSD. A lot of homeless people have serious mental disorders. When Republicans defunded the crazy houses all those people went to live on the streets.

[Orlong]

Tell that to homeless veterans with PTSD. A lot of homeless people have serious mental disorders. When Republicans defunded the crazy houses all those people went to live on the streets.

In those cases PTSD is the disease, and not the homelessness. There IS treatment available for PTSD and most people are screened and counseled for it now when they separate from the military

- - - Updated - - -

He....he can't be serious, right?

There are plenty of sources out there. I just picked one that would be called a right wing trash site. Its also on NYT, USA Today etc..

[Wyrt]

Do you realize how expensive it is to live in Hawaii? Most of the homeless there are native Hawaiians as well.

[Strangebrew]

I don't see how this is supposed to be a bad thing, ultimately it's not going to solve poverty and homelessness.
However it's going to be a band-aid and a much needed help for alot of people.

[Orlong]

Do you realize how expensive it is to live in Hawaii? Most of the homeless there are native Hawaiians as well.

Still shouldnt be classified as a medical condition. Doctors shouldnt be writing prescriptions for rent. It would cause huge premium increases/taxes for everyone else

[Cruor]

Tell that to homeless veterans with PTSD. A lot of homeless people have serious mental disorders. When Republicans defunded the crazy houses all those people went to live on the streets.

Having served in the army I can tell you there are multiple programs avaliable to help you find work and school. You are forced to hear about them. There is no excuse anymore. And yes we should defund crazy houses and welfare, there are cheaper ways to deal with bums.

[PosPosPos]

They are going about it in a weird way, but it's both harmless and a good thing so I am not about to question it.

[TITAN308]

I wouldn't mind stuff like this at all.

Though in my ideal situation we would cut off funding overseas for this stuff (and yes that includes refugees) and re-focus every last penny of that into our own citizens.

[GreenJesus]

Tell that to homeless veterans with PTSD. A lot of homeless people have serious mental disorders. When Republicans defunded the crazy houses all those people went to live on the streets.

in Hawaii the problem is drugs. There are agencies that build homes for homeless. The problem is that they can't keep them there because they end up staying the night in Waikiki with their friends on the street doing whatever.

[Runenwächter]

They are going about it in a weird way, but it's both harmless and a good thing so I am not about to question it.

yes, please, using funds for medicaid for non-medicaid purposes by classifying what clearly is not a medical condition as one and thereby setting a precedent, if this truely passes checks and balances, is totally a good idea.
I'm telling you money that is clearly marked "health and environment only" basically screams "fund military operations with me! Just call carpet bombing pest removal!".

You cant be serious.

[PosPosPos]

yes, please, using funds for medicaid for non-medicaid purposes by classifying what clearly is not a medical condition as one and thereby setting a precedent, if this truely passes checks and balances, is totally a good idea.
I'm telling you money that is clearly marked "health and environment only" basically screams "fund military operations with me! Just call carpet bombing pest removal!".

You cant be serious.

What's wrong with trying to reduce/eliminate homelessness? Trumpets and their far right deplorables have no better alternatives, so let good people try and help others.

[TITAN308]

What's wrong with trying to reduce/eliminate homelessness? Trumpets and his far right deplorables have no better alternatives, so let good people try and help others.

Against my better judgement; This statement would indicate that the other side has made any advancements in addressing homelessness. Which we both know is is not true.

These 10 U.S. cities had the largest homeless populations:

Boston, Massachusetts.
San Jose and Santa Clara, California.
San Francisco, California.
Chicago, Illinois. ...
District of Columbia. ...
Las Vegas, Nevada. ...
San Diego, California. ...
Seattle, Washington.
Los Angeles, California
New York, New York

[Neyze]

Unrelated but how nice do you think it actually is to live homeless in hawaii? I think I could get used to that kind of lifestyle.

[Wyrt]

Against my better judgement; This statement would indicate that the other side has made any advancements in addressing homelessness. Which we both know is is not true.

You know other states ship their homeless off to California right? Load them up on buses and send them out here.

[TITAN308]

You know other states ship their homeless off to California right? Load them up on buses and send them out here.

Are you claiming only right wing states do this? I just want to make sure your implications are clear here.

[Orlong]

Unrelated but how nice do you think it actually is to live homeless in hawaii? I think I could get used to that kind of lifestyle.

Guess you could sleep on the beach every night. It would be much softer than a concrete sidewalk, and you wont freeze in the winter. If you need to piss you can walk out in the ocean where nobody would see you or know you did it instead of in a back alley and then get arrested for public urination and indecent exposure.

[Wyrt]

Are you claiming only right wing states do this? I just want to make sure your implications are clear here.

No, just other states in general.

[Darsithis]

All-in-all this is a stupid idea. Obviously Medicaid has its own rules about medications and what it pays, and it sure as hell isn't going to start paying people's rent. This is not a solution.