Brian, a Philadelphia resident, has relied heavily on Medicaid for nearly two decades. Paralyzed at the age of 27 from gunshot wounds, he has spent nearly 20 years managing a series of serious health complications, including recurring bed sores and bone infections. Now, in his late 40s, the incoming Medicaid cuts aren't just unsettling, they are dangerous.
Read Brian’s storySyd Wurdeman relies on Medicaid to manage her on-going health care needs. She knows how difficult it is for people to stay covered during the stress of a major medical issue. For Syd, using Medicaid has been far more stable than relying on insurance through her employer or family members. With the possibility of new requirements and paperwork to keep Medicaid coverage, Syd worries that other people with disabilities will struggle to keep up and ultimately lose the care that they rely on to thrive.
Read Syd’s storyJennifer Taskey has turned to Medicaid during some of the most challenging moments in her life. Now 41 and living in Cleveland, Ohio, with her three children, she reflects on how vital that support has been. For her, Medicaid has often meant the difference between stability and crisis, between receiving care and going without.
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In 2017, Tomeka James Isaac was pregnant with her first and only son, Jace. At 40 years old, she was told early on that she would be at high risk for pre-eclampsia, yet despite this ominous warning, Tomeka’s pregnancy was progressing smoothly. Until, at her 35-week appointment, complications began.
Read Tomeka’s storyKea had a plan. Pregnant with her first child, she knew she wanted a natural birth, and she wanted her birth experience to be an experience that was unique to her. However, she felt dismissed by doctors when she made requests, and ignored at appointments. Kea switched to a birth center, and everything changed for the better.
Read Kea’s storyTamara's 18 month old grandson fell ill with a slight cough and signs mirroring COVID-19, but was not tested by his pediatrician. After his oxygen levels dropped, he was taken to the ER but was still not tested for COVID-19 due to not meeting testing criteria.
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Adrienne, a Pennsylvania resident and mother of two, never expected a simple diagnostic procedure to lead to over a year of financial and emotional distress. In February 2024, she underwent a thyroid biopsy at a hospital she knew well, the hospital where she gave birth to both of her children and one she visits frequently for appointments. Everything about the process felt routine—until the bill arrived.
Read Adrienne’s storyJim and Teresa Matthews never imagined that a hospital visit could unravel into a financial bureaucratic nightmare. When Teresa was hospitalized after a sudden episode of transient global amnesia—a rare, temporary loss of memory—they discovered a hidden flaw that left them with a $4,500 bill for a single day’s worth of medication and no clear path to challenge it.
Read Jim’s storyMorgan Barrett, a resident of Kansas, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) at only seven years old. She and her two siblings have the same form of the disease, and growing up, they faced many serious health challenges.
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