Medicaid saves lives.
This April, as I mark my first Medicaid Awareness Month as Executive Director of NHeLP, I’ve been thinking about what that means in practice – and what it takes, every day, to keep it true.
Medicaid is an extraordinary program that helps more than 70 million people live healthier, more economically secure lives. It supports early diagnosis and treatment, improves long-term outcomes for children, reduces health inequities, and delivers high-quality, cost-effective care.
Given the enormous threats to the program – the cuts, the rollbacks, the fights ahead – it would be easy to focus only on the challenges facing Medicaid during this year’s awareness month. These threats are real, and we are fighting back.
But it also matters to name what is going right. Because despite these challenges, we are seeing real progress, in partnership with state advocates and communities who are working every day to build a stronger, more equitable health care system.
That progress is visible across the country.
In New York, a landmark settlement will expand access to behavioral health services for children covered by Medicaid. Similar wins in Michigan and Iowa are building a pattern: courts and advocates working together to establish that children’s mental health care must be accessible, timely, and community-based. We are also working alongside federal partners to strengthen protections for children in residential treatment settings, including by supporting the development of legislation aimed at improving oversight and expanding community-based alternatives.
In Indiana, we continue long-running litigation challenging barriers in the state’s Medicaid program. Recent developments have required federal officials to once again examine whether Indiana’s policies are consistent with Medicaid’s core purpose. This case, pursued alongside partners since 2019, reflects the sustained commitment needed to protect coverage and remove obstacles that stand between people and care.
In Florida, we secured a major victory for Medicaid enrollees alongside our Health Law Partner, Florida Health Justice Project. A federal court ordered the state to halt coverage terminations and reform notices it found to be “incomprehensible” and constitutionally deficient, recognizing that people were losing health care without a fair opportunity to respond. The state has appealed, but we will continue fighting for families across Florida.
On maternal health, we have spent years working alongside doulas, advocates, and state partners to expand Medicaid coverage for doula services. More states are recognizing what communities have long known: continuous, culturally grounded support during pregnancy and postpartum improves outcomes for parents and babies alike. Our recently updated map tracking doula coverage across the country makes the gains visible and shows where opportunities remain.
We are also seeing forward-looking leadership in California, home to the nation’s largest Medicaid program. Medi-Cal serves millions of people and often sets the tone for innovation and equity in health care coverage. NHeLP Director of California Advocacy Kim Lewis was appointed to the Future of Medi-Cal Commission, bringing NHeLP’s expertise to the table as the state charts a bold course in the face of potential federal cuts.
Behind every one of these wins are real people – relatives, neighbors, and community members whose lives depend on this program. This progress means a parent can finally schedule a child’s behavioral health appointment after months of worry. An older adult can receive services that allow them to remain at home. And a worker managing a chronic condition does not have to choose between medication and groceries. These moments rarely make headlines, but they are the reason this program matters. They are what this work looks like in practice.
None of this happens in isolation. Every win is the result of years of work by advocates, partners, and communities who refuse to give up. NHeLP will not stand down. We will continue litigating in courtrooms, shaping policy, and equipping advocates who are fighting for their communities.
Medicaid saves lives. This month, and every month, this is what we will keep fighting for, alongside partners, advocates, and communities across the country.
Warmly,
Jen
