Catching up with our health care storytellers

By Marissa Alcantar | June 6, 2020 As the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas’ storybank fellow, my job for the past year has been seeking out uninsured Kansans and learning about their experiences with our health care system. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I wanted to check in with some of the storytellers […]

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Behavioral Health, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories: David

David’s permanent home is in Herington, Kansas, but he currently lives and works in Colorado. Like many Kansans, David works in a profession that doesn’t always have steady hours. He’s an archeologist, and for six months of the year he is working in the field. With his work comes health insurance. But during the other […]

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories: Debra Stanley

Debra lives in Iola and is currently uninsured. She gets chronic migraines and has depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic fatigue syndrome and asthma. On top of all that, Debra recently discovered she has Type 2 diabetes. Managing one chronic condition without insurance is hard enough. Debra is trying to manage seven. She is in the coverage […]

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Behavioral Health, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories Podcast: Charles McKinzie

Pastor Charles McKinzie of Winfield shares why he supports Medicaid expansion in this new podcast from the Alliance. If you have a story about living in the coverage gap, contact Storybank Fellow Marissa Alcantar at marissa@expandkancare.com.

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Faith Leaders

Kansas Stories: David Larson

David Larson is from Wichita and living with his daughter’s family while providing care to his grandchildren. David has multiple health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, major depressive disorder and other mental health issues. After David’s wife passed away, he was unable to work. He lost the company benefits he relied on. He has […]

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Behavioral Health, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories: Julio Garcia

Julio Garcia lives in Lawrence. He is a single adult residing at the Lawrence Community Shelter. He arrived in Kansas a few years ago, bringing with him an insurance plan that covered his health costs. He lost his insurance after arriving in Kansas, and he has been uninsured ever since. Julio recently finished his last […]

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Cancer Stories, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories: Sierra

Sierra Shore is from Larned. She works part-time as a CNA but she is uninsured. She tried to get insurance through Medicaid, but as a single adult with no children, she doesn’t meet the requirements. When she found out she didn’t qualify, Sierra felt a lot of stress. Sierra suffers from Factor 5, a condition […]

Topics: All Consumer Stories, Medical Debt Stories, Workforce Stories

Kansas Stories Podcast: Shannon Spear

Shannon Spear, McPherson, has spent most of her adult life uninsured. It has impacted her in a number of harmful ways. Getting appointments with a doctor was difficult—and when she could get them, they cost her well over $100 each time. Without access to affordable care, her asthma went untreated, which affected her ability to […]