Jennifer Marion: How Medicaid Helps Jennifer Live with MS

Without Medicaid, Jennifer Marion says she doesn’t know where she’d be today.

An Iowa resident, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2007 at just 26 years old, Jennifer’s journey began with a terrifying symptom: sudden vision loss in her left eye. Though her sight eventually returned, MS has continued to shape her life in invisible but profound ways.

“It’s hard for people to understand,” Jennifer says. “You look fine on the outside, so they think you’re okay. But the fatigue is real. You hit a wall and no matter how badly you want to push through, your body just won’t let you.”

That physical struggle was compounded by the financial shock of her diagnosis. Jennifer was immediately prescribed medication to manage her relapsing MS, but the price tag was $2,000 for just one month’s supply. “I started crying,” she recalls. “There was no way I could afford that.”

Medicaid became her lifeline.

Because of Medicaid, Jennifer can afford the treatment she needs to slow the progression of her disease and avoid permanent disability. Without it, she would face more frequent and severe relapses and the very real risk of losing her independence.

For Jennifer, Medicaid isn’t just insurance. It’s stability. It’s dignity. It’s the difference between managing her illness and being overwhelmed by it.

“People like me don’t need pity — we need access to care,” she says. “Medicaid makes that possible.”