Disabled people in Florida still struggling to get Medicaid restored after 'unwinding'
States such as Florida should not have dropped people with disabilities off their Medicaid insurance, patient advocates say.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Lauren Eakin is legally blind and confined to a wheelchair with cerebral palsy. For years, Eakin, 34, lived in her own apartment with the help of caregivers who assist her with nearly everything. This summer, she lost much of her relative independence when the state of Florida revoked her essential Medicaid coverage.
“I need help for the rest of my life,” she said. “Getting up, to eating, to preparing meals, to going out in the community, I need help I would say almost 24/7,” she said.
Eakin’s care team, paid for through Medicaid, also helps her live a relatively normal life, including trips for her advocacy work in the community and to play on a local baseball team.
Eakin’s Medicaid coverage lapsed in June, a loss she discovered only when payment to her caregivers stopped. As a result, they substantially reduced their hours. That meant Eakin was alone overnight for over a month, unable to get out of bed to use the bathroom or leave the apartment in case of emergency.
“It was pure panic. Because I’m like, ‘What the heck happened?’” Eakin said.
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