Kim has received Medicaid for more than seven years, and currently qualifies for SSI benefits through Social Security Disability.  Kim has a Medicare Advantage Plan with United Health Care.  The plan pays for her medicine, doctors’ visits and she have no out-of-pocket expenses.   

Kim cannot recall the name of all her medications, but she is currently taking ten medications for Schizophrenia, PTSD, Bipolar Disease, nerve ending pain and scoliosis.  She stated that she takes Gabapentin for her nerve ending pain.  Gabapentin causes her to be drowsy during the day. 

A caregiver comes in on the weekend to prepare her meals for the following week and to perform other chores.  If needed, her caregiver may assist her through the week. Having a caregiver prevents Kim from having to perform difficult tasks like making her bed.  Arthritis in her fingers has limited her ability to do such things as combing her hair or making her bed. 

If Kim did not have Medicaid, she would not have her caregiver or be able to afford her medication. She sees her primary care physician once a month and a specialist as needed. The specialist she sees is a Neurologist for the end-nerve damage and her back, injured in a car accident in January. Unfortunately, the neurologist has an overwhelming number of patients and appointments are scheduled months in advance.   

If she did not have Medicaid along with her plan, she would not be able to pay the balances for these visits. Her U-Card which is the benefit card for her plan allows her to purchase groceries and over-the-counter products.    She is happy with her plan and Medicaid.  Her current plan allows her to get glasses and dentures.  These are benefits that many Medicaid recipients truly need but are not provided in many instances. 

Kim says that she does not know what she would do if she did not have Medicaid and her U-Card. Her fixed income is not enough to pay for her medicine and her doctor’s visits.  She is just glad that she has Medicaid, and the extra coverage of the U-Card. Life is not perfect, but it certainly is made better by two cards in her wallet, U-Card and Medicaid.