After a federal workforce reduction cost her a career spent advancing health equity, Tamira Moon lost her job and her insurance for the first time in her adult life. Now managing a chronic autoimmune condition on a Georgia Access marketplace plan she can barely afford, she has found that even the top coverage tier leaves her unable to pay for basic diagnostics like X-rays.
Read Tamira’s storyAnnemarie Morse has been on and off MaineCare, Maine's Medicaid program, since the end of 2019, when they first went to a crisis unit and were, in their words, "faced with my mental health full on." They've had health insurance through their employer a few times in between, but at one point, they had to quit a job because it didn't offer coverage, and their income was too high to qualify for MaineCare. This coverage gap — earning too much to qualify for MaineCare but not enough to comfortably afford private insurance or a stable housing — is one many Medicaid recipients know well.
Read Annemarie’s storyA scuba diving accident led to a hospital stay that also revealed a serious autoimmune disease — one that now requires $16,000 infusions four times a year. Trevor Sherman has comprehensive employer-sponsored coverage that keeps his treatment affordable — but staying insured means he has to keep working, even when stress and exhaustion make his condition worse.
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In 2017, Tomeka James Isaac was pregnant with her first and only son, Jace. At 40 years old, she was told early on that she would be at high risk for pre-eclampsia, yet despite this ominous warning, Tomeka’s pregnancy was progressing smoothly. Until, at her 35-week appointment, complications began.
Read Tomeka’s storyKea had a plan. Pregnant with her first child, she knew she wanted a natural birth, and she wanted her birth experience to be an experience that was unique to her. However, she felt dismissed by doctors when she made requests, and ignored at appointments. Kea switched to a birth center, and everything changed for the better.
Read Kea’s storyTamara's 18 month old grandson fell ill with a slight cough and signs mirroring COVID-19, but was not tested by his pediatrician. After his oxygen levels dropped, he was taken to the ER but was still not tested for COVID-19 due to not meeting testing criteria.
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After giving birth, Tyler Denea requested an itemized hospital bill and found charges for care that never happened — including 80 doses of a medication and a procedure she says she didn't receive. Instead of focusing on a difficult postpartum recovery, she spent weeks disputing charges and navigating automated phone lines.
Read Tyler’s storyAfter a miscarriage left her hemorrhaging and in need of emergency care, Kylan D. was hit with nearly $13,000 in medical bills after her insurer wrongly denied coverage. Weeks of daily phone calls and persistence cut the bill down to roughly $2,300 — but she says no grieving family should have to fight that hard just to get the coverage they're owed.
Read Kylan’s storyWhen Heather Pierce's husband shattered his leg in a fall from a roof, her first thought wasn't just the hospital — it was whether they could afford the ambulance. A former Medicaid and health insurance professional, Heather has spent her career helping others navigate coverage, yet her own family has faced tens of thousands of dollars in medical debt, forcing her to delay surgeries, negotiate cash prices, and weigh her children's safety against what they could afford.
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