Willy Bruce Should Still Be Alive

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 provides for Medicaid — coverage he would have automatically received in most other states based on his income. Under the Affordable Care Act, 40 states have expanded Medicaid to cover nearly all adults earning up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level. Tennessee is one of the few remaining non-expansion states.  

Even manageable medical conditions can turn life-threatening when people don’t have access to basic healthcare. Without insurance, Willy could no longer afford an Albuterol inhaler, his rescue medication needed during asthma attacks. The reality is, Willy died of a manageable medical condition solely because he had the misfortune of living in Tennessee.