Medicaid is Essential.

The United States Senate just narrowly passed a bill that includes $793 billion in proposed cuts to Medicaid. It now makes its way to the House, where if passed, between 10 million and 16 million Americans could lose all healthcare coverage. 60% of our families rely on Medical Assistance only, so the effects of these cuts could be profound. These families aren’t merely statistics or political bargaining chips. Each of these families has a story, and a reason why Medicaid is, or has been, essential to their lives.

Last week we had the chance to sit down with Bailey. When starting out as a newlywed Physical Therapist, Bailey’s income of $12 per hour at her first job in her field meant that she wasn’t able to pay for her employer’s health insurance program. Then, she got pregnant. After being approved for Medicaid, Bailey was able to have a safe labor and delivery for her first son, as well as for her second, which involved costly complications. Without Medicaid, Bailey and her young family would have been expected to pay more than $90,000 out-of-pocket following the birth of her second child, just as their young family was starting out, personally and professionally.

Rather than being saddled with impossible medical debt, thanks to Medicaid, Bailey and her husband were able to launch their own business, and Bailey is continuing to advance her career in Physical Therapy. At the same time, their eldest son received an autism diagnosis—and the need for therapeutic preschool, Occupational and Speech therapy, and other supportive services immediately became clear. As Bailey told us:

Because St. David’s accepts medical assistance, we’ve been able to get our eldest son the therapies he needs. All of it was covered by his medical assistance. From day one when he was first diagnosed with autism, it was immediately made clear to us that early intervention was a must. But our fear was: “Well, how can we possibly afford that?” With Occupational therapy and Speech therapy multiple times a week, how can we provide that for him when we’re just barely getting by—when it’s a struggle to just take care of rent and food and everything else that he needs?

Luckily, the early intervention Bailey’s son has received is allowing his parents to focus on moving the family forward toward a bright and stable future. As Bailey told us:

We’ve been working with Saint David’s for years now and we’re just so very happy with how it has worked out and supported our son in so many ways. Without having access to those services, I just don’t know where we’d be now.

It’s not too late to support families like Bailey’s and organizations like St. David’s. Contact your senator and urge them to do whatever it takes to protect Medicaid. You can look up your representatives here. While Minnesota’s senators have already pledged their opposition, you can still encourage them to persuade their colleagues to make the moral choice by doing the same. Together, our voices can help ensure a healthy and happy future for all of Minnesota’s children, adults, and families.