Why Medicaid Matters to Me: Five New York Stories

Oct 16, 2017 | News

MMNJakeY has issued “Why Medicaid Matters to Me: Five New York Stories” to put a face on the advocacy we do to protect the Medicaid program. Many thanks to our colleagues at Make the Road New York, New York Legal Assistance Group, and the New York Self-Determination Coalition for contributing stories featured in the document! Here is one of the stories:

Maggie & Jake, Elmira

My son Jake, and 100,000 other New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities are able to live in their homes and communities thanks to Medicaid. As Jake has grown, he continues to be challenged by multiple disabilities. He needs constant supervision in order to be safe, but with Medicaid-funded direct support services, Jake has a job at a music store restocking CDs for several hours each week, a productive member of the community.

As a family, we try to get the best health coverage we can, but regardless of how hard parents work, there’s NO WAY for any family to pay for this level of long-term care.

These benefits are not just for people with developmental disabilities. They are also used by people with traumatic brain injuries, people who are physically disabled, and the elderly who receive care in their home.

Cuts to Medicaid will land people on the street, in hospital emergency rooms, or back in institutions.