July is an exciting month for me because it marks my two year anniversary of joining the Voices team! I jumped on board to carry forward Voices vision of lifting up health care stories of Idahoans and to impact policy outcomes. I too had my own health care story of being a full time mom, employee and college student all while living in the health care coverage gap. I knew the negative impact this had on my family when I would get sick and couldn’t go to the doctor. Because of this, I was excited to get to work lifting up other’s stories that would impact policy outcomes and improve the health of families across Idaho.
I began collecting stories from Idahoans with disabilities, mental health conditions, working parents in the coverage gap, and parents with kids on Medicaid/CHIP. I have talked to over 150 Idahoans across the state about their struggles with health conditions, of going uninsured and feeling forgotten by policy makers. I have been able to put these stories in the forefront of our health care work by sharing these stories with the public, media, and policy makers. These are the stories you see on the news, in articles, opinion editorials, at rallies, and at legislative hearings. Last July, I was able to get a meeting with Senator Crapo and disability advocates – Kristyn, Ahniah, Ian, and Kristin – to talk about the importance of protecting Medicaid for Idahoans with disabilities like them and their family members. This was a year’s work in the making and it resulted in Senator Crapo committing to protecting Medicaid funding.
When Idahoans for Healthcare wanted to have Idahoans in the gap be the face of Proposition 2, I connected our stories to the campaign to be in ads and engaged at events. By connecting Jessica, Nichole, and Josh and showing the impact Medicaid expansion would have on their families it lead to an astounding 61% voting to close the coverage gap. During the legislative session legislators were debating about funding Medicaid expansion and whether or not to pass legislation that would add barriers to coverage. Idahoans in the gap – Joyce, Angela, A’lana, Jessica, Marisse (to name a few) – were there to tell committee members how they would be impacted. During key Senate floor debate on a Medicaid expansion, it was our story book of Idahoan’s living in the coverage gap that was in front of legislators.
Now, after years of sharing stories, hard work by our health care team, and coordinated advocates -Medicaid expansion is funded and Idahoans in the gap will be able to apply for coverage November 1, 2019 with health care coverage beginning January 1, 2020. That is something to celebrate! It makes me so happy to think of all the families I have spoken to over the past two years and how much this is going to make a difference in their lives. Jessica in Coeur d’Alene, who has three children – one with severe disabilities – and untreated mental health conditions herself will finally be able to go to the doctor. Nichole in Boise, who has five children and recently tested positive for a genetic cancer gene can get regular preventative treatment and screenings. Deleena’s husband in Pocatello can finally get treatment for his back pain from working construction. These are just a few of the Idahoans I have spoken to that are going to see their lives changed from Medicaid expansion.
Our work is far from over as the result of legislation passed, the state is required to submit a variety of waiver applications to the federal government related to Medicaid expansion and
Medicaid more generally. These provisions will only be implemented if they each receive federal approval. We are now in the middle of public comment periods where we are engaging the public and Idahoans in the gap to show how these provisions would impact their lives if implemented. I am excited that I get to continue to lift up these stories and empower Idahoans to share their stories. Here soon, I’ll be able to share the success stories Idaho families in coverage gap being newly covered by Medicaid.