George Goodsaid: A Son’s Plea to Protect Medi-Cal

George Goodsaid has been the primary caregiver for his parents for the past six years. He helps them with many of their daily tasks, including personal care, household tasks, transportation to medical appointments and managing medications. His mother is 78 years old, and his father is 67 years old with diabetes. His father also had a recent eye surgery that required additional care. George shared that caregiving “is a role that has shaped every part of my daily life.” 

George’s parents, like many older adults, access their health care through California’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal. This program allows them to access quality, affordable care that keeps them healthy and thriving. “Without Medi-Cal, my parents would not be able to afford the medical care, treatments, and medications that sustain their health and well-being.” 

If George’s parents lost their Medicaid coverage, they would struggle immensely to get the daily care that they need. George would have to spend his time fighting to access basic services for his parents instead of caregiving and spending time with them. “If this vital program were to be dismantled, it wouldn’t just be a policy change—it would ruin families like mine.”  

But losing health care coverage does not just threaten physical treatment and medication.  “It would strip away the ability of vulnerable individuals to receive the care they need with dignity, and it would place an unbearable burden on caregivers who already give everything to support their loved ones.” 

George and his parents know that they are one of many families that rely on Medicaid coverage. “Programs like Medi-Cal uphold the health and humanity of countless people. We need to fight for our health.”