View the Latest: Profiles

Caleb Garcia, age 5, was born with impaired hearing and vision, developmental delays, and physical disabilities, all due to a virus that his mother contracted during her pregnancy. Caleb’s father, Manuel, credits his son’s unexpected progress to the care he has been receiving since birth through Medicaid. Caleb needs specialist care, physical, speech, and occupational therapy, medical equipment, and prescription medications. Particularly important to Manuel, who is a single working parent, is nursing care that…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Kay Dickerson, age 57, is a Hurricane Katrina survivor. After the storm, Kay and her husband, Tom, relocated to Portland, Oregon. During her intake at the welcome center, Kay, who had long been uninsured, was diagnosed with anxiety, depression, PTSD, high blood pressure, and diabetes. She was guided to a community health center and the staff there helped her apply for the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), Oregon

Matthew Bardgett, age 50, was left paraplegic by a car accident at age 19. Matt ultimately returned to work, but with no coverage offered through his job, and unable to get private coverage due to his pre-existing condition, he remained uninsured for 20 years. For cost reasons, Matt often delayed getting needed care. In 2002, Matt enrolled in Kansas’ Working Healthy program, which enables working individuals with disabilities to get Medicaid by paying a premium.…

Darius, age 9, was born with periventricular leukomalacia, a brain injury that causes frequent seizures, as well as central apnea, a condition that often causes him to stop breathing. He also has mild cerebral palsy, which impairs his mobility, balance, and reflexes. Since Darius was born, Medicaid has covered his specialist care, hospital care, prescription drugs, oxygen regulator and other medical equipment, and other services that have saved his life and significantly mitigated the neurological…