In 2014, Colorado expanded Medicaid, opening the door to affordable healthcare for hundreds of thousands of people across the state. One of those people was my dad.
My dad spent 20 years as a top salesman in his industry, while my mother worked as a paraprofessional at the local middle school. They worked hard. They served their communities. They played by the rules.
In 2017, the company my dad worked for was bought out, and the entire staff was laid off. Despite his experience, he struggled to find a job in his field and eventually turned to gig work, delivering food through DoorDash to help pay the bills. He didn’t complain. He hustled. He adjusted. But with gig work comes a glaring reality: no benefits and no worker protections.
Although my mom’s job offered health insurance, it would’ve cost $900 a month to add a spouse, which they couldn’t afford. So, my dad went without coverage, hoping nothing serious would happen.
But in late 2021, he developed a painful hernia while working. My parents faced an impossible choice: Go deep into debt for surgery or risk getting worse. Then something incredible happened. My dad got a letter from the state informing him that he qualified for Medicaid. It was a lifeline — one that came just in time. My dad was able to get the surgery he needed, saving his health, his finances, and maybe even his life.
That’s what Medicaid does. It steps in when hard-working people hit a rough patch — people like my dad who have paid into the system, contributed to their communities and simply need a little help to get through a tough time.
That’s why I was stunned to see that Congressman Gabe Evans recently voted for a budget bill that would require hundreds of billions in cuts to Medicaid — despite the fact that his district, Colorado’s 8th, has the second-highest percentage of Medicaid enrollees in the state.
That vote wasn’t just a line in a budget. It was a message — to my dad, and to thousands of others in the 8th District — that their health and lives are expendable.
Congressman Evans represents communities like Johnstown, Commerce City and Greeley — places where families work hard but still struggle to afford healthcare. These aren’t people looking for handouts. They’re parents, seniors, veterans and workers trying their best to get by in spite of a health system that too often leaves them behind. Medicaid is what makes healthcare possible for these families. It’s what kept my dad from spiraling into medical debt. It’s what allows kids to see doctors, keeps rural health clinics open and helps people stay healthy enough to keep working.
Cutting Medicaid wouldn’t just hurt individuals — it would hurt entire communities. It would shift costs to hospitals, drive up premiums for everyone and weaken the local healthcare systems we all rely on.
I’m proud that Colorado expanded Medicaid. It changed the course of my family’s life — and many others. There are countless people with stories like my dad’s in the 8th District — and their voices deserve to be heard. We need our leaders to fight for us, not vote against our basic needs.
My dad’s life changed by a single letter in the mail. Imagine how many lives could be changed — or lost — depending on the choices our lawmakers make today.
Anastasia Marchese is a constituent of Colorado’s 8th Congressional District. Ana is an advocacy manager with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).
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