Letter: Medicaid can make all the difference

As a mother of six, I am grateful to have Medicaid today because I know what life is like without it.

A few years back, our family had a rash of health problems. My daughter had appendicitis, which cost over $6,000 to treat, and then my son broke his arm and had to see a specialist a handful of times.

It was nearly impossible for us to cover all of these expenses. That’s different now because of Medicaid. We found out we qualify for a comprehensive Medicaid health plan. My children receive regular checkups and other care, which we otherwise could not afford. I’m glad to know they’re able to get the care they need to stay healthy, no matter what our bank balance says.

We need to consider how to help low-income families retain their Medicaid coverage. Sometimes it can be too easy to have a good month at work and become disqualified, even when a few extra hours wouldn’t be enough to pay for insurance. Making sure kids and families have consistent, high-quality coverage through Medicaid is very important and should be a priority for Utah’s leaders.

Danielle Worthington

St. George

CREDIT: Danielle Worthington, Deseret News