A bill was recently put into effect that seniorcitizens on medicaid lose their benefits if they give monetary gifts to family or friends or if they give to charity. As a buddhist I was shocked when I heard about this. Ihe main tenet/sacriment for buddhists is dana(sp?) or to give generously, it is how one accrues good karma, especially when one gives to monks(charity). This act while not blantant or probably even purposefully attacking the practice of dana still does[attack dana], and can be seen as dicrimination. To make a crude metaphor its like taxing communion wafers.

Would this affect offerings to the Christian churches as well?

yes it would, any form of generous giving falls under the auspices of getting your medicaid benefits cut. I spoke from the buddhist point of view because I am a budhhist and this bill hinders my faith in particular.

I can see the rationale behind this, especially if the purpose of medicaid is to provide medical help to those who cannot afford to do so themselves. Perhaps if one were to manage their money more effectively (ie: only give what they can afford to give) they would not need to take money from medicaid.

Your "taxing communion wafers" makes no sense.

In addition, if your donations to religious organizations are dependent upon government funds, it could be argued that this is a violation of the establishment clause. I'm not a lawyer, I'm not getting into this one.

[This message has been edited by jsaxton14 (edited 02-05-2006).]

The church (or temple) should be more modest that to accept money from old people who can't even afford the medicine to live. It should be the church (or temple) that cares for its elders, not the other way around.

Just MHO.

Did somebody say action?

Allow me to correct that metaphor. Being that obtaining good karma(dana) is the buddhist way to atone for past sins so it is really more accurate for me to compare this to taxing confession. Now the thing about the "rationale" is that if elderly buddhists are continuing the MAIN TENET of there faith then they will not recieve equal treatment. Here is where I make the comparison. If any time a christian went to confession there medicaid benefits were cut then that is comparable to what this bill does to the practice dana. Now one might argue that there are many other ways to obtain good karma but one could also argue there are other ways to obtain forgivness from god. I'm not saying that this bill keeps elderly buddhists from practicing there faith it simply means that it is more difficult for them.

I use the phrase Time for action because some thing should be done about this and because I could not come up with anything else.

Medicaid in general just sucks. Why should you be penalised for donations? Maybe your family really needs money, but you also need the medicine? Should you have to choose one or the other?