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When Carmen Rosado got divorced a few years ago, she and her two teen daughters, Crystal and Nelly, lost their private health insurance. Carmen took a new job working nights, but it offered no health coverage and, without Medicaid, the family would have been uninsured. With Medicaid, Crystal and Nelly have stayed up-to-date on their well-child visits and immunizations, and the eyeglasses they need and the doctor visits they occasionally make when they get sick…
Patricia Clark, now 86, went into the hospital about four years ago for a hip replacement. Patricia had had health problems over the years, but was doing well at the time, except that her declining mobility was making it increasingly difficult to live independently. Her doctors expected her to fare better with a new hip. Unfortunately, Patricia suffered a debilitating stroke in surgery and was left unable to get around on her own or live…
Michelle Foster and her four-month-old baby, Anthwonnia, have both benefited from Medicaid. With Medicaid, Michelle received all her prenatal care on time, and, when she developed gestational diabetes, she was able to get the specialist care that she needed as well. Because Medicaid paid for Anthwonnia
Sheila Malone, 66, suffers from a multitude of health problems due to her exposure to DES, a drug her mother took while pregnant with Sheila to reduce her risk of a miscarriage. Sheila has had many kinds of cancer, beginning in childhood, as well as numerous bone deformities and polio. She is also diabetic. Sheila is covered by Medicare, but because of her low income, she also qualifies for Medicaid’s “Medicare Savings Program.” This Medicaid…
Tina Witowsky, age 20, suffered a brain trauma, similar to a massive stroke, four years ago. Following months of critical care, multiple surgeries, and intensive rehabilitation, Tina was able to come home, but she needs extensive in-home services and supports, which her private health insurance stopped covering. Without Medicaid, Tina’s mother would have had to move Tina into a nursing home, or leave her job to care for Tina full-time, sell her house, and find…
Edward Henry, age 64, lives independently now, following three years in nursing homes after he lost both legs to an infection. Edward’s goal was always to live again on his own, and he was able to make this transition through Georgia Medicaid’s “Money Follows the Person” (MFP) program. Under MFP, the federal government provides states with enhanced Medicaid matching funds to help individuals receiving care in institutions move back to the community. MFP helped Edward…
Heather Holloway, age 39, has a congenital disorder that left her with permanently dislocated hips and knees. She also struggles with depression. Heather relies on Medicaid to cover her health care needs, which are modest but critical. She needs regular check-ups and preventive care, prescription medicine for her depression, new crutches every several years, and dental care. After Michigan eliminated vision benefits for adults in Medicaid, Heather had to buy glasses on her own, using…
Sarah Borscha, age 6, was born with Apert’s syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that disrupts normal bone growth and causes malformations of the skull, face, hands and feet. The medical costs associated with Sarah’s care are enormous. She has already required numerous surgeries, and her needs for special shoes and foot braces, prescription medications, and speech and physical therapy, are ongoing. As she grows, she is likely to need additional operations on her face, mouth…
Karen Palacios, age 42, suffers from multiple chronic conditions, including diabetes, a thyroid condition, effects of a stroke, and depression. Karen has both Medicare and Medicaid due to her disability and low-income. For seven years, she lived in a nursing home because she could no longer perform basic everyday activities on her own. However, through Medicaid’s “Money Follows the Person” (MFP) initiative, Karen was able to make the transition back to living independently in the…
Brenda Christiansen, age 52, was diagnosed with breast cancer about a year ago. When she first noticed a worrisome lump, she was in the three-month waiting period for the health insurance offered through the nursing job she had recently taken. Within days of qualifying for this coverage, she was laid off. Uninsured and facing this diagnosis, Brenda was eligible to enroll in Utah Medicaid’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Program. This Medicaid program…
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