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Since she was 17, Sam Gwesinie has relied on Medicaid to survive. Now 27, she’s a mother of two in Minnesota, managing multiple chronic health conditions while raising a young son with autism. Medicaid, she says, is what keeps her family afloat. “Medicaid is the heartbeat of my family,” Sam said. “Without it, we wouldn’t have food, we wouldn’t have housing, my baby wouldn’t be fed.”
Sara Emerle knows firsthand what Medicaid means for families in crisis. In March 2022, her mother was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Everything her mother needed—tube feedings, specialized nutrition, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, dietitian support, and appointments with specialists—was paid for through Medicaid.
Armond Dai was building a promising career in architecture in Washington, DC when everything changed. After contracting COVID-19 twice, he developed a series of chronic illnesses that left him unable to work and desperate for answers. To this day Long COVID is not widely understood, and without clear lab results, qualifying for disability benefits became a daunting challenge.
Filipe Menezes is an immigrant from Angola, Africa, who moved to the United States in 2014. In late 2019 he received a diagnosis of schizophrenia. At that time, he qualified for MaineCare, the state's Medicaid program, but only for emergency situations. Filipe’s immigration status changed recently when he became an asylee. He gained legal residency, but full MaineCare coverage remained out of reach.
Lydia Cruz lives in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District where Medicaid covers nearly one in three people. Living with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a genetic connective tissue disorder that affects her joints, digestive tract, and vascular systems, Lydia faces complex and chronic health issues every single day.
Joel Clark grew up in Springfield, Ohio, and now studies at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing in Baltimore, working toward his Master of Science in Nursing. His journey into health care advocacy began with a phone call that changed everything. During his sophomore year at Ohio State, Joel learned that his father had been hospitalized. He had always known his father was battling health issues, but things had taken a sudden and dangerous turn.
Mina, a cancer survivor living in New Mexico, knows firsthand what it means to depend on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Diagnosed with cancer at just 25 years old, she credits the ACA for her survival. As she takes time off to focus on her health, she has been utilizing Medicaid coverage. With Medicaid, Mina is able to access the care she needs during a time of personal transition. She doesn’t have to worry about cost, which allows her to concentrate on healing and planning her next steps.
In Kentucky in 2016, Maggie Chism welcomed her daughter Evelyn into the world. From the very beginning, Evelyn faced enormous medical challenges. Diagnosed in utero with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, she underwent three open heart surgeries before her fourth birthday. During her second surgery, Maggie found herself fighting a battle on two fronts, for her daughter’s life and for her daughter’s health care coverage.
Syd 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.
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.