Across Ascension’s 105 hospitals and numerous clinics and other healthcare facilities, our providers witness firsthand how access to affordable health coverage transforms patients’ lives—especially for those relying on Medicaid who might otherwise forgo the care they need. Without Medicaid coverage, countless seniors, parents, children and other vulnerable populations will delay seeking essential care, such as regular check-ups that include preventive care, maternal health treatment, cancer screenings and care for chronic conditions.
As lawmakers in Washington, D.C. consider major cuts to Medicaid, it is critical to understand the impact that funding restrictions would have on real people and their ability to access care. More than 72 million Americans are covered by Medicaid, and every patient story is different.
One patient’s experience receiving care from Ascension providers demonstrates the power of Medicaid coverage in improving quality of life and reducing hospitalizations.
An older woman, covered by Medicaid, turned to Ascension for care as she navigated frequent seizures and significant mental health challenges. Her complex needs required a comprehensive, wraparound approach, including nursing, behavioral health support and spiritual care through Ascension’s complex care management program. With access to high-quality, coordinated care—fully covered by Medicaid—she experienced fewer hospitalizations and emergency visits while gaining greater stability and independence at home. Without Medicaid, achieving this level of well-being would not have been possible.
Challenges in accessing affordable health coverage extends beyond adults. A child from a rural community received treatment for a severe obstructive mass in his brain that was covered by Medicaid.
A young boy went to an Ascension emergency department with headaches, vomiting and other serious symptoms. Providers recommended follow-up care, which was covered by Medicaid. The tests allowed care providers to discover an obstructive mass in his brain that, if left untreated, could have led to brain damage or death. Treating the condition required surgery and chemotherapy, while continued Medicaid coverage helped him heal and access ongoing oncology and hematology outpatient care at Ascension. Thanks to the treatment he received, he is on a path towards recovery.
Consider the case of a baby born with a serious heart condition and his mother who needed additional support.
Medicaid helped cover the care for a mother and her premature son, born at an Ascension hospital. After being delivered via an emergency C-section, the baby boy was found to have severe heart anomalies and spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), while his mother remained in the hospital to recover. When she was ready to go home, she was unable to drive due to challenges in her recovery. Fortunately, Medicaid provided coverage for some of the transportation costs, alleviating concerns about getting safely to and from the hospital. Over the next few months, teams at Ascension provided specialized care in the NICU, covered by Medicaid, enabling the baby to return home. While this is just one story, between July 2020 and June 2024, Ascension providers cared for maternal health patients with Medicaid coverage at a significant scale—accounting for 43.3% of our maternal patients.
Every American, no matter their circumstances, deserves access to affordable health coverage. That is why Congress must consider the real patients and real stories behind Medicaid before proceeding with sweeping cuts to the program. Without Medicaid, patients often delay seeking the care they need, which can lead to serious health issues that puts their lives at risk. Medicaid coverage is essential to the health care safety net that provides life-saving treatment, medications and other services.
