That’s Medicaid
Health insurance coverage provides people with access to the care they need—when they need it. That’s Medicaid shares stories of people helped by Medicaid at critical points in their lives.

When A Community Needs Care

A Lifeline

Leah S. / Okeechobee, Florida

Her story in four photos

“Here in our community, it is life and death … having health coverage makes a huge difference.”

When Leah was growing up her parents were self-employed and the family did not have health insurance. It proved consequential when her mother died from a cancer diagnosis that could have been detected early.

This experience inspired Leah to ensure that members of her community—most of whom are on Medicaid—receive the support they need. Leah is a leader at a local nonprofit that helps people with food assistance, mental health therapy, educational and career development, drug treatment, and other crucial supports.

The nonprofit has provided community members food and other essentials throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and Leah knows the basic health services it provides are critical for her friends and neighbors.

“Here in our community, it is life and death,” she says. “When you are in a rural area and parents are getting by day-to-day, if they don’t have coverage they don’t seek health care until it is too late. Having Medicaid can make a huge difference.”

Video: Hear Leah's Story in Her Own Words