A patient shares how care and coverage came at a critical moment

When Emma* moved back to the United States in 2016, she developed a painful and serious infection before she even had a chance to look for work. With no job, no health insurance, and her condition quickly worsening, she couldn’t afford the cost of a doctor’s visit. She felt overwhelmed and unsure where to turn.

A family member suggested Zufall Health. Emma didn’t know much about community health centers, but she went right away. Her primary care visit changed everything. Zufall saw her immediately, started her on antibiotics, and helped her enroll in NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid) insurance that same day.

“I walked in thinking I had no options,” Emma later said, “and walked out not only feeling better, but also with coverage.”

Emma stayed enrolled in Medicaid for less than a year, until she accepted a job at Zufall that included employer-sponsored health insurance. She has never forgotten how Medicaid gave her a safety net when she needed it most. “Medicaid was the safety net that I needed while I was in a transitional and vulnerable time in my life and needed help.”

Today, she sees that same support in the lives of others—including many members of her own family. She adds: “It scares me to think about where we’d be, financially or medically, if we didn’t have this life-saving program.”

Help Protect Medicaid for Patients Like Emma

More than one-third of Zufall Health patients rely on Medicaid to access medical, dental, behavioral health, and vision services. Across the country, nearly 16 million community health center patients depend on this vital program to get the care they need.

But right now, Medicaid is at risk. Congress is considering $880 billion in federal cuts to the program over the next 10 years. The Senate is expected to vote on the matter by July 4—and we need your voice.

If Medicaid hadn’t been there for Emma, her story could have ended very differently. Patients like her are why we’re asking you to speak up today.

Email your Senators using this template from the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).

Call Your Senators:
866-426-2631
You can include a personal story

Every message makes a difference. Thank you for standing with our patients to protect this critical resource!

*Name changed to protect patient privacy.

Above: A Zufall staff member guides a patient through the NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid) application process.