Medicaid Month Awareness Campaign Press Release

For Immediate Release: May 2, 2022

Media Contact:  Miriam Harmatz, Esq., Advocacy Director and Founder Florida Health Justice Project,  (786)-853-9385, harmatz@floridahealthjustice.org

Florida Health Justice Project Gives Voice to Medicaid Recipients
During Medicaid Awareness Month
Over 5 million Floridians rely on Medicaid, including over 2.5 million children.

(Miami, Florida) – As part of Medicaid Awareness Month, Florida Health Justice Project shared the lived experiences of parents explaining why “Medicaid is a blessing” and why they “cannot live without Medicaid.”

“Medicaid provides a safety net for my patients to get preventie care, specialty care and dental care, which is essential to overall  health,” says pediatrician Dr. Tina Carroll-Scott, medical director of the South Miami Children’s Clinic. “My patients are able to receive the necessary care that they not only need, but that they deserve.”

The personal videos of parents whose children depend on Medicaid healthcare to access affordable healthcare cover the gamut of parental experiences were shared as part of the social media campaign.  The voices of parents are varied – relating how Medicaid meets the needs for children with complex medical needs, those born prematurely, those with mental health needs and those who simply need preventive care, including crucial immunizations.

Listen to the stories of parents like Susana, whose twins were premature and needed “a lot of medical care to survive and thrive,” and Gina, whose son has cerebral palsy and needs expensive medical care.  Hear  from Brooke, a new mom who “could sleep better at night” knowing that she and her baby had health insurance.

Florida Health Justice Project raises the voice of Quinnessa, whose daughter’s speech delay is improving tremendously through multiple therapies covered by Medicaid; and Zamanta, whose daughter was “paralyzed” and needed mental health counseling after being bullied.  Or the story of Qudsia, who works three jobs while taking care of her three children and her elderly mother; and Maggie, whose kids rely on Medicaid for immunizations and well care visits to stay healthy.

While many of these children have significant medical needs and the parents’ own lives are immensely challenging, these are stories of gratitude.

Medicaid is a lifeline for them all.  Over and over, parents whose kids have flourished and thrived and survived all say: “I don’t know what I would do without Medicaid.”

To watch other Lived Experiences – the stories from parents, children, and healthcare providers who rely on Medicaid, visit https://www.floridahealthstories.org/children.

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ABOUT THE FLORIDA HEALTH JUSTICE PROJECT The Florida Health Justice Project seeks to improve access to healthcare for Florida’s most vulnerable and marginalized residents, and to promote health equity.