Orion Ortolf: Cuts to MaineCare Would Devastate My Community

Orion Ortolf is a 37-year-old living in Lewiston, Maine. They are currently a full-time student earning a master’s degree in social work to become a clinical therapist. Orion became uninsured when they aged out of their parent’s coverage at 26 until they were accepted to Maine’s Medicaid program, MaineCare, several years later.

For those years in between, Orion lived without any coverage. “I didn’t see a doctor for a really long time. When I would get sick enough that I really did need to go see a doctor I would go into a pretty good amount of medical debt because of how expensive that stuff is without health insurance.”

They were forced to skip preventative care and lived with the constant threat that an accident or illness would send them into a serious financial crisis. “Being proactive about health care was not really an option. It was just kind of a hope that I don’t get sick or something happens.”

Having coverage through MaineCare allows Orion to get access to essential health care services that they wouldn’t be able to afford out-of-pocket. They’ve been able to pay for their glasses prescription that could cost over $500 with no insurance and for their other medications. “Overall, I’m very happy. It makes medications extremely affordable, either at zero copay or the most I pay is $3.”

Orion has also been able to access gender-affirming care that has immensely improved their life. “I was able to have top surgery, which is a bilateral double mastectomy, last year that was completely covered by MaineCare that would have otherwise been inaccessible to me. That has made a huge impact on my life in a positive way.”

MaineCare has also allowed Orion to access critical mental health services. “As someone who is now in school to be a mental health provider and someone who also experiences difficulties with mental health, it’s pretty essential stuff for people to have access to.”

Orion still faces some challenges in finding health care providers who accept Medicaid as a payment method for some services, including dental and vision care. “I haven’t been able to access dental care in many many years because it’s hard to find a dentist…and even if you do, you kind of just get put on a waitlist that lasts forever.” If Maine expanded their Medicaid coverage, it would be easier for Orion to access this crucial care. “I think widening the eye exams and dental coverage would make a huge difference.”

If Orion were to lose their Medicaid coverage, they would face being uninsured again. “I think I would probably just kind of go without health care until I graduate.” Handling their intensive school program would quickly become overwhelming without access to health care. “Additional stress and anxiety from not having health care absolutely could impact my ability to graduate on time, keep good grades and that kind of stuff.”

Orion hopes that when they become a mental health provider, their patients will be able to fully access the health care services that they need. “From the perspective of a future health care provider who really is going into the field because I want to provide accessible health care to other LGBTQ people, having cuts to MaineCare or additional work requirements would mean that a lot of people in those communities would not be able to access the really important mental health care that they need.”

Orion has a message to the legislators pushing through Medicaid cuts: “I think that Medicaid should be expanded, not cut. Having quality and accessible health care has absolutely saved my life in many ways. I think it should be a human right for people to have access to health care that covers all aspects of life.”