Ellie

Age 5, Washington

Meet Ellie. Ellie loves Moana, dancing, art, and making everyone laugh.

Ellie has chronic lung and kidney disease, severe intestinal dysmotility, epilepsy, ketotic hypoglycemia, growth hormone deficiency, and probable mitochondrial cytopathy. Her medical needs include: IV nutrition and small bowel feedings, oxygen, blood sugar and pulse oximetry monitoring, frequent medical appointments, hospitalizations and therapies.

Ellie's mom Megan says: "Quality medical care allows us to focus on what our daughter needs instead of fighting for coverage.

Medicaid expansion has allowed us to get her coverage which helps fill the gaps in our primary insurance. The ACA guarantees that she can't be denied coverage due to her pre-existing conditions.

It is enough that we fight for our children day in and day out to survive and preserve their quality of life. There is so much weighing on us everyday, adding more to our shoulders is just incredibly unfair. We should not have to worry about losing insurance benefits that are so desperately needed."

Submitted by Ellie's mom, Megan