Kansas Stories: Melinda

Melinda, an interior designer, contractor, and musician, moved from Texas to Wichita in 2013. Last April, Melinda left her job on the maintenance crew of a local health care facility after suffering an overuse injury in her arm. Melinda's injury led to significant financial difficulties. She exhausted her savings and relied on the support of friends, family, and rent assistance from agencies to make ends meet.

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories: Isobeau

Isobeau, who is a Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncturist, moved back to Haysville from Brooklyn in 2022 due to COVID-19 and to care for her elderly mother. She has a son who is currently a senior in college. Over the past two years she's been working part-time to build her practice while also providing care for her mother. These responsibilities have limited her income. Isobeau prefers a balanced approach to health care, using natural healing methods whenever possible. She budgets for r

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Families, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories: Chance

At 27 years old, Chance has always been a hard worker. Employed at a local fast-food restaurant in Wichita, Chance takes pride in their job, serving customers with a smile and ensuring every order is just right. However, the past year has been particularly challenging. After turning 27, Chance automatically rolled off their parent's insurance. So for the first time in their life, Chance found themselves without health insurance.

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Families, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories: Valerie

Valerie is a wife and mother from Wichita who is working toward a degree in the social sciences. She spends her free time doing whatever she can to help those around her, including advocating for the unhoused population in Wichita. Her husband and son are covered by Medicaid, but Valerie does not qualify. She is grateful that her husband and son have Medicaid coverage, but as a primary caretaker for her husband, son, and aging father, she worries about who would care for them if something happen

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Families, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories: Pam

Pam is a mother and grandmother from Pittsburg who works part-time as a home health care aide. As a health care aide she takes care of people with disabilities or chronic illnesses to help them with daily living activities. Pam's work is valuable to her community and those she cares for, but she is not offered health insurance because in Kansas she is considered an independent contractor. Like many other working age Kansans, Pam now lives in the health insurance coverage gap.

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Medical Debt Stories, Workforce Stories

Kansas stories: Stephen

Stephen is a father of two from Buhler, Kansas. He is trying to make his life better for his family. After working as a server for awhile, he decided to enroll in a computer program coding bootcamp could help him find a higher paid position -- and hopefully one with health insurance. He took time away from his newborn baby to attend this bootcamp with the hopes that it would propel his career forward.

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Behavioral Health, Families, Workforce Stories

Kansas stories: Doug & Jake

Doug opened his heart and his home to a child in need and adopted Jake out of foster care. Like all other kids adopted out of foster care, Jake was covered under Medicaid until he turned 18. But once the public health emergency ended and redeterminations began again, Jake lost his health insurance. Because Kansas has not expanded Medicaid, he is uninsured and in the coverage gap.

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Behavioral Health, Families, Workforce Stories

Kansas stories: Kelsey Vetter

Kelsey is a grant writer from Lenexa. She has mild Ataxic Cebrebral Palsy, which is a brain disorder that affects balance and coordination. She works part-time for a non-profit organization, and because she isn't a full-time employee, she is not offered health insurance. Her income is too low to qualify for health insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

Topic: All Consumer Stories