More than 5 million Floridians rely on Medicaid, including over 2.5 million children. As part of Medicaid Awareness Month, Florida Health Justice Project is sharing the lived experiences of parents explaining why “Medicaid is a blessing” and why they “cannot live without Medicaid.” These short personal videos cover the gamut of parental experiences, including the voices of parents whose children have complex medical needs.

Susana’s twins were premature and needed “a lot of medical care to survive and thrive.”

Gina’s son has cerebral palsy and needs expensive medical care.

Brooke was a new mom who “could sleep better at night” knowing that she and her baby had health insurance.

Qudsia works three jobs while taking care of her three children and her elderly mother.

While many of these children have significant medical needs and the parents’ own lives are immensely challenging, these are stories of gratitude. Medicaid is a lifeline for them all. Over and over, parents whose kids have flourished and thrived and survived all say “I don’t know what I would do without Medicaid.”

To watch other Lived Experiences– the stories from parents, children, and healthcare providers who rely on Medicaid visit https://www.floridahealthstories.org/children.