Rebecca Hutchins is a 25-year-old who lost her health insurance when she was laid off from her technical support job in May 2019. Since then, she has worked part-time at her family’s dry cleaning business. However, she makes too little to qualify for a subsidy to help her purchase insurance in the health coverage Marketplace. And, because she has no children, she does not qualify for Medicaid in the state of Florida.

Sometimes there’s only so much I can do to stay positive,” she expresses, “I try to stay busy, clean, listen to music, but that can only take me so far.” By falling into the coverage gap, Rebecca has been effectively denied the tools she needs to maintain her mental health.

Rebecca desperately misses her insurance. As someone struggling with depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder, she benefited greatly from the regular psychotherapy she was able to receive while she was insured. But she has not been able to see a therapist or a psychologist since she lost her health insurance, and she feels her symptoms worsening. “My family gets worried about me because I isolate a lot. I stop eating, I can’t sleep. Sometimes there’s only so much I can do to stay positive,” she expresses, “I try to stay busy, clean, listen to music, but that can only take me so far.” By falling into the coverage gap, Rebecca has been effectively denied the tools she needs to maintain her mental health.

“I do need my therapy desperately, and there are people out there who also need the help and don’t get it and they get suicidal,” Rebecca worries. “I’ve stopped self-harming but there are times when I want to resort back to it. When I go to therapy, I feel like I get the help that I truly need.” If Florida chooses to expand Medicaid to include low-income adults, Rebecca and others like her would be empowered to take control of their health and to thrive.