Kansas stories: Saturn

August 2025 Saturn* is autistic and lives in Southeast, Kansas. They work at a local library and love art, writing and cooking. Recently, with the support of Kansas’s Medicaid program, KanCare, they moved into their own apartment and have become more independent. But before access to Medicaid, things were very different. Saturn was covered under […]

Topics: Behavioral Health, Medicaid, Medical Debt Stories

Kansas Stories: Pam

Pam is a mother and grandmother from Pittsburg who works part-time as a home health care aide. As a health care aide she takes care of people with disabilities or chronic illnesses to help them with daily living activities. Pam's work is valuable to her community and those she cares for, but she is not offered health insurance because in Kansas she is considered an independent contractor. Like many other working age Kansans, Pam now lives in the health insurance coverage gap.

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

Kansas stories: Kelsey Vetter

Kelsey is a grant writer from Lenexa. She has mild Ataxic Cebrebral Palsy, which is a brain disorder that affects balance and coordination. She works part-time for a non-profit organization, and because she isn't a full-time employee, she is not offered health insurance. Her income is too low to qualify for health insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

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

Kansas Stories: José Luis

I had to leave my country where I have lived and worked all my life, where my children were born and raised, so that [...]

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

Kansas Stories: Olivia & Saul

Not having medical coverage has affected us a lot financially. In 2019, I had health insurance from my job, but when I lost my job, [...]

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Medical Debt Stories, Stories en español

Kansas Stories: Jim

Jim is from Wichita and he’s uninsured right now. He did have insurance a while ago as a seasonal employee, but he’s since lost it after that job ended. Getting health insurance is simply out of his means right now. Everything is too expensive for him. Jim is a farmer and spends most of his […]

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

Kansas Stories: Louise Lynch

Louise Lynch is from Kansas City. She is a caregiver for her husband and daughter. Louise and her husband have health insurance, but their daughter does not. She previously had been covered under her parents’ plan but after she turned 26 (the cut-off age under federal law) that was no longer an option. Life without […]

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Medical Debt Stories

Kansas Stories: Sarah

Sarah* is from Wichita. She spent her career in law enforcement and is now retired. She has a 29-year-old son who suffers from addiction. It’s because of him that Sarah began her advocacy for Medicaid expansion, even though talking about his addiction is painful for her. Sarah’s son has no health insurance and there isn’t […]

Topic: Medical Debt Stories