Syd Wurdeman: Surviving and Thriving with Medicaid

Syd Wurdeman, an attorney from Nebraska’s Second Congressional District, says Medicaid provides more reliable coverage than she ever received through a parent or employer. “I think I have better experience on Medicaid than I do insurance through my parents or my jobs,” she said.

For Syd, access to Medicaid is essential. She lives with autism, ADHD and chronic insomnia, and needs regular care to manage her conditions. “Having Medicaid means that I have access to all the things that I need as an individual,” she said. “Even when I’m not employed, I still have access to those things.”

Syd urges policymakers to consider the real-life consequences of cuts or restrictions to the program. “If you had a family member or friend who needed access to these things and they didn’t have the means through their own insurance, would you want them to be limited and would you want them to have to struggle to pay for these costs for medical care since it is so expensive?”

She’s especially concerned about work requirements and co-pays. For people with disabilities, meeting or proving an exemption to added conditions could mean losing care entirely. “It’s not the easiest thing to meet those requirements,” she said. “Putting those requirements in place would mean compromising access for people who need it.”

Syd was able to get covered by Medicaid during a difficult time in her life and fortunately, her experience was fast and supportive taking less than an hour to get all signed up. “At the time that I was applying for Medicaid, I was going through some severe medical issues,” she said. “Having extra paperwork requirements and extra requirements in general would severely inhibit people from being able to get that access, especially if they’re going through some medical hardships.”

Syd has needed consistent medical care throughout her life. Without Medicaid, she says, that care would not be possible. “If I did not have Medicaid, I would not have access to all the things that are keeping me, you know, surviving and thriving in this world today.”