A Future Doctor's Coverage Concerns

Taylor Moss, a medical student at Touro University, is passionate about her career as a future provider. She is also a Medicaid beneficiary who is extremely worried about losing access to her coverage. Not only is she worried about her own health care, but she is also concerned for her future patients.

“Medicaid has so much more meaning to me too. I actually joined it thinking that this might help me have more connection with my future patients, as someone who wants to work for the underserved…I’ve been lucky that my Medicaid experience has been great, but it can be a challenge to navigate. And I think being on Medicaid will actually make me a better provider. But now I’m not, I’m only scared for my own health care insurance and what I would do if we lose funding, also my future patients and these people that I hope to serve.”

When she turned 26 last year, Taylor was no longer eligible to stay covered by her mom’s insurance and had to look for other options. As a patient on anxiety medication, she cannot afford to have gaps in her coverage that would impact her access to her medications. Through her school, included in her tuition was an option for coverage, but after doing some research, she found it would cost her approximately $20,000 for four years, way over her budget as she works part time at $17/hour to afford her school fees. That is when Taylor learned she was eligible for Medicaid. After applying, she was able to get approved and covered in just a month. Not only was she relieved to have comprehensive coverage and continued access to her medications, but she was also able to maintain access to her providers, keeping her care consistent across the board. She found, in talking to her fellow students, that that was an issue for many of them who switched to the school’s offered coverage. She also found in these conversations, that approximately 75% of her friends at med school are also on Medicaid and are all concerned about the proposed cuts.

Even with the program in jeopardy, she talked about how she looks forward to being able to connect with her future Medicaid patients about her time on the program and sharing with them how much it has benefitted her.

If you are share Taylor’s concerns and want to take action to defend Medicaid, visit familiesusa.org/defendmedicaid