Our Medicaid Story: Managing My Son’s Chronic Conditions
By: Heidi Fernandez, Patient Advocate, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation
Editor’s note: Heidi Fernandez shared her family’s Medicaid testimony with the National Health Council (NHC) as part of the joint efforts of NHC and its member organizations, including Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, to preserve Medicaid access.
At two and a half years old, our son Andrew was diagnosed with autism. We had no idea what the future would hold for him. Thanks to both primary insurance and Medicaid, we quickly got him enrolled in therapy. Andrew was able to receive speech and occupational therapy, help with socials skills, and access to a developmental pediatrician. We don’t know where Andrew would be today if he didn’t have Medicaid.
Fast forward to 2012 when Andrew had what we all thought was a stomach virus. Unfortunately, he did not improve, and he had to have an MRI, many labs and a colonoscopy. He received a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease. In the last 13 years he has had many labs, MRIs, pill cams, and colonoscopies, all of which primary insurance and Medicaid have covered. Now, Andrew is on a Biologic called Stelara and is currently in remission.
If there are cuts to Medicaid, Andrew and others with chronic conditions will lose their medical team. Andrew will no longer have access to his GI specialists or to Stelara, a lifesaving medication for him. He could go into a flair, which is a nightmare for every patient with a disease like Crohn’s. It is essential that Andrew has continued access to his health
Any cuts to Medicaid would severely harm patients with chronic conditions like Andrew’s. Please protect patients access to healthcare by supporting no cuts to Medicaid.
