Can We Talk About Medicaid Like It’s a Human Right?

Let’s get one thing straight:
I’m not “lucky” to have Medicaid.
I’m surviving. Barely. And not because the system works — because I learned how to work around it.

“Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Wednesday signed into law a measure to curtail the state’s spending on its Medicaid expansion program, which provides health care coverage to lower-income Idaho residents who earn too much to qualify for standard Medicaid but not enough for private insurance discounts. The bill implements a network of medical providers that operate on a fixed budget to reduce costs. It also requires Medicaid expansion recipients to report their hours worked.” -MORE BELOW

I’m a mom of twins. Two boys. Both with developmental delays. Possibly autistic. Definitely amazing. But in Idaho? Good luck getting help without a 9-month waitlist and a stack of paperwork tall enough to crush your will to live.

Idaho Democrats in the article condemned the “Republican attack on Medicaid” in a Wednesday news release. The bill’s “so-called ‘work requirements’ do nothing to help find jobs, but they will take away insulin, cancer treatment and mental health services.”

I’ve cried on hold with reps who are not trained to help.
I’ve driven hours for specialists just to be told they don’t take our plan.
I’ve begged for approvals for basic therapies — speech, OT, evaluations — and been ghosted by gatekeepers.

And still, people say things like:
“Well, at least you have Medicaid.”
No. At least my kids haven’t died while I play phone tag with bureaucrats.

Healthcare shouldn’t be a puzzle you solve while sleep-deprived and poor.
It shouldn’t come with shame or hoops or some imaginary moral debt.

You shouldn’t have to “prove” your kids are struggling to be worthy of support. You shouldn’t be penalized for being too broke to pay cash but too alive to qualify for crisis care.

Here’s the truth: Healthcare is a human right.
And I’m done whispering that like it’s radical.

If you’re tired too, pull up a chair. We’re not quiet anymore.

— Thank you for Reading

✨ Chrystal Brotherson ✨
Writer | Threads Growth Coach | Storyteller
👬 Momma of Twin Boys | Gamer | Queer Poly Wife
Follow for parenting truths, radical honesty & survival in the red states.

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Chrystal Brotherson

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Tags: healthcare, motherhood, poverty, politics, survival