If it were not for TennCare Medicaid, Toni Corbin— recognized as a TJC Mother of the Year in 2018 —would not be able to care for her multigenerational household. While she jokes that her home is a little dysfunctional, it is also full of love — and chickens that keep her on her toes. Toni’s home is bustling with life. Her son, granddaughter, great-grandchildren, and even her aging mother all live under one roof. With her own health challenges, including severe arthritis and c

For Andrea, a hardworking single mom of twin boys born prematurely, Medicaid has been a force for good. Andrea’s sons were born at just 31 weeks, over two months premature, weighing in at just four pounds. The twins spent 37 nerve-wracking days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for extra support as they continued to develop outside of the womb. They were enrolled in TennCare when they were about 5 months old and have had TennCare ever since. James and Matthew were di

Research shows that only one in four people recovering from substance use disorders avoid relapse, and fewer than one in five outpatient participants stay sober for a full year. Destiny Thompson is part of the determined minority who has beaten those odds. At 33, Destiny Thompson has entirely rewritten the course of her life. For 18 years, Destiny struggled with opioid addiction. Her battle led her in and out of jail, and it eventually cost her custody of her children. The he

17-year-old Christopher Thielges from East Tennessee almost always has a big smile across his face. He’s a student at Signal Mountain High School who loves photography and spending time with his peers. His mom, Lowry Thielges, agrees that “his smile and his laugh are what people love most about him.” Christopher was born prematurely with Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy, a physical disability that affects his upper and lower body mobility. He navigates the world in a wheel

William “Willy” Bruce of Parsons, Tennessee, loved football, physics, and math. He was working toward a degree in Graphic Design at the University of Tennessee, and he was a father of two sons.    Willy passed away from a fatal asthma attack in 2024. He was 25 years old.    At the time of his death, Willy was uninsured. He had lost coverage after he turned 21 and aged out of child benefits. He no longer fell into one of the very limited categories of coverage Tennessee provid

No family should lose access to care because of a system failure, and no individual should require legal intervention to receive the health benefits to which they are entitled under law. Charles B’s experience is demonstrative of the harm caused by these failures. Charles, a husband and father, was diagnosed with an exceedingly rare and aggressive cancer at just 28 years old. Standard treatments were not sufficient. His medical team recommended an aggressive course of care: h

Kathryn is the executive director of a nonprofit , and her husband runs his own small business. Together, they’re raising three wonderful kids and navigating the daily whirlwind of school, sports, and family life. Like all families, they work hard to provide the best childhood for their kids. And like all families, they need access to healthcare. Kathryn's daughter is an avid athlete with a rare genetic disorder which requires monthly infusions, frequent visits to specialist

Adrienne Hinds— an economist, sociologist, and entrepreneur based in Nashville— sees healthcare not just as a personal necessity, but as a cornerstone of economic stability. With a career spanning corporate America, academia, and now her nonprofit consulting firm, Adrienne brings a distinctive blend of professional expertise and lived experience to the conversation around healthcare policy. She is particularly concerned about the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits

For 57-year-old Samantha* from East Tennessee, life has always been about serving others. She and her husband devoted their lives to their community—his work as a pastor and county commissioner gave them both purpose and stability.  Then everything changed. After a back surgery left her husband permanently disabled, they lost not only his income but also their home in the church parsonage. For the first time, they turned to credit cards just to make ends meet. Debt piled up.

As the co-owner of a tattoo shop in Lafayette, Tennessee, and the mother of twin boys with complex medical needs, Shayela Ankenbauer understands what it means to juggle work, parenting, and the high cost of healthcare. For her and her husband, affordable coverage through the Marketplace—made possible by the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTCs)—is the only thing that keeps her insured. “Before getting on the Marketplace, we didn’t have insurance,” Shayela explained. “When I wa

Mr. Smith receives Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTC) that lowers his monthly premium by an astounding $700, making comprehensive coverage affordable even on his limited Social Security Disability income. For Mr. Smith, the impact goes beyond dollars and cents: “It has provided peace of mind that I don’t have to worry about a major bill coming.”

Two Tennessee grandparents who care for their 5 grandkids could see their SNAP benefits cut because of rules passed recently at the federal level, wiping out the support they need to feed their family.  Congress has raised the age of those who are subject to work requirements for SNAP from 54 to age 64, which would force these two grandparents in Northeast Tennessee to return to work despite impossible conditions. Without SNAP, raising five grandchildren while managing chroni

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed H.R. 1 into law, a sweeping budget reconciliation bill that includes deep cuts to Medicaid and...

For Kim Battinelli, life changed drastically in the fall of 2020. Just a year after losing her father to cancer, her husband of nearly...

*Names have been changed to safeguard the identities of those who trusted us with their stories.   For people facing tough times, food...

April Eaves lives in Rutherford County with her husband, Jason, and three children, Emery, Avery, and Aaron. Before becoming pregnant...

TennCare Medicaid gives people the opportunity to live fully after tragedy. Gerald Christian— born and raised in Savannah, Tennessee— now...

Nearly two years ago, one of our clients received news that no one wants to hear – she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Originally...

As a lifelong Tennessean, Brandi McCutchen embodies the heart of Southern values with her quintessential grit, grace, and unwavering...

Shawna Delk, a 41-year-old Tennessean, is a fighter. Often tangled in the red tape of a complicated medical system, Shawna’s life has...