Kansas Stories: Debra Stanley

Debra lives in Iola and is currently uninsured. She gets chronic migraines and has depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic fatigue syndrome and asthma. On top of all that, Debra recently discovered she has Type 2 diabetes. Managing one chronic condition without insurance is hard enough. Debra is trying to manage seven. She is in the coverage […]

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Behavioral Health, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories: David Larson

David Larson is from Wichita and living with his daughter’s family while providing care to his grandchildren. David has multiple health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, major depressive disorder and other mental health issues. After David’s wife passed away, he was unable to work. He lost the company benefits he relied on. He has […]

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Behavioral Health, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories: Julio Garcia

Julio Garcia lives in Lawrence. He is a single adult residing at the Lawrence Community Shelter. He arrived in Kansas a few years ago, bringing with him an insurance plan that covered his health costs. He lost his insurance after arriving in Kansas, and he has been uninsured ever since. Julio recently finished his last […]

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Cancer Stories, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories: Sierra

Sierra Shore is from Larned. She works part-time as a CNA but she is uninsured. She tried to get insurance through Medicaid, but as a single adult with no children, she doesn’t meet the requirements. When she found out she didn’t qualify, Sierra felt a lot of stress. Sierra suffers from Factor 5, a condition […]

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

Kansas Stories Podcast: Shannon Spear

Shannon Spear, McPherson, has spent most of her adult life uninsured. It has impacted her in a number of harmful ways. Getting appointments with a doctor was difficult—and when she could get them, they cost her well over $100 each time. Without access to affordable care, her asthma went untreated, which affected her ability to […]

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

Kansas Stories Podcast: Risse Zimmerman

This podcast from the Alliance for A Healthy Kansas covers Risse Zimmerman and the struggles she faced within the coverage gap in Kansas. Zimmerman retells her experience with multiple health conditions that affected her and her family for months. She discusses the financial burden of not qualifying for KanCare and explains the repeated disqualifications she […]

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

Kansas Stories: Sarina LeMay-Smith

Late last year, Sarina was laid off from her job at Via Christi Ascension in Wichita, which meant that her family lost their health insurance coverage. Thoughts about what could happen, both physically and financially, crossed her mind as a mother of six and someone with rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Her immunosuppressant medication cost several […]

Topic: Workforce Stories