Access to Medicaid in the Deep South is a crucial lifeline because the region has one of the highest percentages of people living in poverty in the United States, according to the SPLC report.
A network of almost 1,400 federally-funded health clinics form an essential safety net for patients who have nowhere else to go. But even a temporary government shutdown could force cutbacks in care.
With a pandemic-era rule expiring this month, people on Medicaid will have to re-qualify to keep their coverage. Language barriers, housing instability and computer literacy could stand in their way.
A family received a $4,928 bill that was settled with the health system 18 months earlier, resurrecting painful memories. Hospital billing experts say this distressing scenario occurs frequently.
An uninsured Colorado man who had appendicitis owed $80,232 after two surgeries. After months of negotiating with the hospital, he still owes far more than most insurers would pay for the procedures.
