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Maggie Sanchez is a Medicaid beneficiary, a mother of a child with disabilities, and a caregiver for a loved one living with severe mental illness. When she talks about what proposed federal Medicaid cuts would mean, she is not speaking theoretically.
Kathleen Downes is 32 years old and lives on Long Island where she works as a social worker and a board-certified patient advocate. Kathleen was born with cerebral palsy, a lifelong physical disability that affects all four limbs and her motor functions. She uses a wheelchair and needs assistance with every activity of daily living, including bathing, dressing and eating. Medicaid makes it possible for her to live in her community, not in an institution.
Colleen Tommins Leard, a 58-year-old living in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, understands the health care system from both sides. She trained as a surgical technician and spent years working in the operating room. Today, she works as a consultant in educational settings, helping hospitals partner with schools and contributing to legislative efforts related to health care. But despite working in health care, Colleen still struggles with the rising cost of coverage.
Michele Gonzalez is a 45-year-old from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, managing COPD, a lung nodule, and a mental health diagnosis. When she transitioned from Medicaid to employer-sponsored insurance, she found herself unable to afford the medications, therapy, and psychiatric care she had relied on — forcing her to stop treatment entirely.
Nancy Weaver is a fiber artist and weaver from Ashe County, North Carolina, who spent years without health insurance after losing her husband and falling into the ACA coverage gap. Without coverage, she went years without adequate treatment for a debilitating autoimmune disease, eventually reaching a mental health crisis. When steady employment finally made her eligible for ACA subsidies, insurance gave her access to the specialist care, medication management, and therapy that she describes as life-changing. Now, she fears losing it again.
After a lymphoma diagnosis and a stint on Medicaid, Arizona resident Jessica Pineda thought she was back on track when she secured employer-sponsored coverage. But a surprise $1,250 facility fee forced her to cancel a procedure she urgently needs, leaving a cancer survivor with worsening symptoms and no clear path to care.
Andy Keith is a 26-year-old resident of Wichita, Kansas who depends on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace to manage her complex medical conditions. As a teenager, she was diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases, Graves and Hashimoto’s, and a thyroid imbalance. Up until last year, Andy was covered by her parents’ private plan. Now, she has a marketplace plan that provides full coverage for her medical care.
Hannah Bink never expected to become a care coordinator, benefits navigator, and family mediator all at once. But as her grandparents’ health declined, that is exactly what she became.
Nan Macklin is a Community Health Worker in the Bootheel region of Missouri, serving families who rely on Medicaid and Medicare. She works with seniors and small children in one of the poorest counties in the state. Nan explained that between 80-90% of the patients she serves rely on some form of state assistance. Her connection to Medicaid is personal as well as professional. As a single mother, she utilized Medicaid for her daughter's health care.
Dariya Walker is a high school student in Florissant, Missouri. Dariya and her family use Medicaid to access health care services, and she appreciates the peace of mind that having coverage gives her and her family.