Medicaid supports children with complex medical needs

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 diagnosed with autism and severe developmental delays when they were very young, launching their family into years of therapies, evaluations, and specialist visits—care their mom says wouldn’t have been possible without TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid program.

Andrea worked briefly as a substitute teacher, but as her sons’ medical needs grew, her employer stopped allowing time off for appointments. Around the same time, she lost access to Families First—Tennessee’s temporary cash assistance program—along with childcare support, and she saw her SNAP benefits reduce by 10%. Faced with mounting challenges, she made the difficult decision to leave her job and homeschool full-time. Through it all, TennCare remained a steady and essential support, helping her create a stable, nurturing environment for her children.

When the boys were diagnosed with dysphasia and severe language delays, TennCare covered speech and occupational therapy. When behavioral issues surfaced, TennCare helped pay for specialists. And when the public school system couldn’t meet their needs, it made it possible for Andrea to keep them safe and supported at home.

The journey was far from easy. Andrea spent years searching for mental health providers who accepted TennCare and fighting for her children’s dignity in systems that too often overlooked them. But while Medicaid didn’t solve every problem, it made healing and progress possible.

Today, James is excelling in math, and Matthew is launching his own welding business at just 16. “TennCare helped shape my sons’ futures,” Andrea says. It didn’t erase every challenge, but it gave them a fighting chance.

Her message is clear: no parent should have to choose whether or not they can afford to take their child to the doctor. Medicaid helps make that choice a little easier.

Names have been changed for anonyminity