Affordable Care Act
Charlie Kulander: Cancer, Caregiving and the Lifeline of the ACA
Charlie Kulander credits the ACA with stabilizing his life during his family’s most challenging years. “It allowed me to get my life back. We were in the midst of putting kids through college, all the expenses of a family. If I didn't have the Affordable Care Act, more than likely, my kids wouldn't have gone to college, and we would have been forced to declare bankruptcy. I owe my present life in a lot of ways to the passage of the Affordable Care Act.”
Troy Sharp of Omaha, Nebraska spent the last six years caring for his wife through severe health conditions until she passed away from heart failure in 2023, two years after a heart transplant. Together they raised two children, now 14 and 11. Throughout those difficult years Medicaid provided a safety net, shielding the vulnerable family from loads of medical debt. “Medicaid has been an invaluable service to me and my family,” Troy explained.
Jill is a single mother raising two teenagers, supporting them on her own without assistance from their father. Her son James is a senior in high school and will soon turn 18. His medical challenges make this milestone especially difficult. Medicaid, she said, makes it possible for her not to always choose between their health and their childhood.
For years, 55-year-old Jennifer Blumenthal of New Jersey, has lived with Type 1.5 diabetes. Managing her condition depends on two prescriptions, Novolog and Jardiance. Without them, her health and life are at risk.
Charles "Trey" Wright lives in Jesup, Georgia, where he recently completed a master's program in public health. In January of 2025, after some time without health insurance, Trey enrolled in Georgia Pathways to Coverage, a Medicaid program for Georgians ages 19-64 who have a household income of up to 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). 
For Angel, a 30-year-old living in Texas who has battled severe asthma since birth, that search led him through countless treatments before finally finding stability with Trelegy. Even though Trelegy worked, Angel’s insurer initially refused to cover it. Angel’s experience underscores how difficult it can be for patients with chronic conditions to access the medications that best manage their health.
Amy Bielawski, a 60-year-old small business owner in Tucker, Georgia, relies on Affordable Care Act to keep her health insurance affordable. After years without coverage, she now has an Expanded Bronze plan that includes dental and vision benefits, coverage she couldn’t afford without Premium Tax Credits. 
As the mother of two children, Miranda’s life changed when her young son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Managing his condition requires an insulin pump, a continuous glucose monitor, and round-the-clock monitoring, all of which come with staggering costs that she would not be able to afford without Medicaid. 
Whitney Lee is a disability rights and mental health consultant in Utah who focuses specifically on autism. They participate in research studies on autism and suicide and have assisted researchers studying Medicaid recipients. Whitney has relied on Medicaid for about five or six years in addition to being covered under their parent’s insurance plan. Medicaid helps cover the remaining medical costs that would be over one hundred dollars or more.
Amy Johnstone relies on the Affordable Care Act and its Premium Tax Credits to afford health insurance in one of the country’s most expensive markets. Without these subsidies, her medical expenses for a chronic condition could easily exceed her household income. Her story highlights how critical the ACA and tax credits are for ensuring access to health care.