A Single Mother’s Struggle with Chronic Illness

When asked why Medicaid matters to her family, Lynnette Deal answered candidly, “In simple terms, I would be lost without this program.” Lynnette Deal is a single mother battling Multiple Sclerosis. She adopted her daughter, Carla, when Carla was just six years old. Carla is mentally disabled and lives with a variety of mental health conditions, including PTSD, depression, and severe social anxiety. While living in Iowa, Carla and Ms. Deal were enrolled in Iowa’s state Medicaid program, which covered both Carla’s care and Ms. Deal's Multiple Sclerosis (MS) treatment.  

When Ms. Deal and Carla moved to Tennessee, they enrolled in Tennessee’s Medicaid program, TennCare. Medicaid offered Ms. Deal remarkable financial relief as she fought her own health condition while giving her daughter a stable and loving forever home. However, when Carla turned 19, Ms. Deal no longer qualified for coverage under the caretaker relative category. Ms. Deal and Carla both lost coverage. Ms. Deal fought tirelessly for over a year to get it back. 

Ms. Deal’s fight was for good reason. Ms. Deal works as a Behavioral Health Technician, but her MS diagnosis prevents her from working more than part-time. Although she has a job, Ms. Deal “cannot afford the medications [she] needs” without the extra support of Medicaid. Her medication for Multiple Sclerosis alone costs an astounding $16,000 a month – a cost that is impossible for anyone to afford without health insurance. Raising a child with disabilities in a single-income household is challenging enough. The stress of living with a chronic illness without access to necessary treatment added unimaginable stress to Ms. Deal’s daily life. While uninsured, Ms. Deal was even hospitalized because of an MS complication. She describes this year as a physical, mental, and financial uphill battle. 

Ms. Deal eventually enrolled in TennCare Medicaid through CHOICES, a critical program that allows people who need assistance with activities of daily living to receive in-home care and full Medicaid. Because of her adoption paperwork, Carla’s coverage was also reinstated. TennCare will cover Carla until she turns 21. With her Medicaid coverage reinstated, Ms. Deal can treat her Multiple Sclerosis without worrying about crushing medical debt, and Carla can treat her mental health conditions. Federal cuts to Medicaid would have devastating consequences for families like the Deals. If Ms. Deal and Carla lose coverage again, they will be left once more to pick up the pieces.