Berea, Kentucky Medicaid Cuts Raise Concerns for Families

BEREA, Ky. — Recent Medicaid cuts implemented through the One Big Beautiful Bill have begun to impact families in Kentucky, causing considerable worry.

Two mothers from Berea have expressed their fears that even temporary loss of coverage jeopardizes essential care for their children.

For 9-year-old Raelynn, enduring health challenges has been a constant battle. Born with VACTERL syndrome, which affects her heart, kidneys, and respiratory system, she faced a daunting year. After developing necrotizing pneumonia from the flu, Raelynn spent nine months in the hospital where she underwent ECMO treatment and suffered a stroke that left her paralyzed.

“Last year was just about survival for her,” said Megan Gammell, Raelynn’s mother.

As her daughter fought for her life, Gammell was simultaneously grappling with the fight to maintain Medicaid coverage. “It felt like we were abandoned during such a hard time,” she reflected.

Gammell revealed that Raelynn had her Medicaid coverage revoked three times within the past year, even while on life support. Fortunately, she has recently regained her coverage.

“There was a stressful span of three months without any assistance,” Gammell noted.

Medicaid plays a crucial role for them, especially in providing therapy, which Gammell believes is vital. After nearly two years of paralysis, Raelynn began walking again just last week.

Breanna Murphy, another Berea mom, has also faced similar challenges for her 4-year-old son, Colson, who has autism. Despite appealing, he was denied Medicaid coverage as well.

“He has a lot of needs, and we can’t afford to fill the gaps, which makes things tougher for him,” Murphy said.

Colson, who is nonverbal and has level-three autism, requires intensive therapy. Murphy explained that ABA therapy costs about $2,400 weekly, and due to funding cuts, they are reducing the frequency of his sessions.

“Ideally, he should be going twice a week; now he’s only able to go every two weeks,” she said.

Murphy advocates for Kentucky to adopt something similar to the Katie Beckett Option. This would enable children with serious disabilities to access Medicaid without taking their parents’ income into account. “I really want to set him up for the best future possible, and it shouldn’t have to be this hard,” she expressed.

Looking ahead, more changes to Medicaid are anticipated for Kentuckians. State officials have announced that new rules will be introduced next year, requiring some adults to prove they’re either working, studying, volunteering, or otherwise engaged to retain their coverage. However, there will be exemptions for individuals with specific medical conditions.