Vivian's Story: Already an Advocate at Age 11

by Meredith Vaughn

My name is Meredith Vaughn. I live in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with my husband Bobby and three wonderful daughters, Savanah, Vivian, and our surprise cherry on top, Braelyn. We also have three gerbils and a dog!

Savannah is an extremely avid reader who’s already read 66 books this year and is headed into the tenth grade. Braelyn loves to dance and at age seven is already going to ballet and participating in cheerleading; I definitely see her on stage someday. And Vivian is just an amazing kid. She’s going into sixth grade this year and she is a stubborn little girl who advocates not just for herself, but for others. 

Because she was born 12 weeks early, Vivian has a variety of health issues, including cerebral palsy. She uses a wheelchair to get around and has difficulty with grooming herself, using the bathroom, and other activities of daily living. We could never have afforded the care she needed during her 62 days in the NICU, let alone her life on the outside. Vivian receives Medicaid under the CAP/C waiver, which is based on her income, which you will be unsurprised to know is zero, given that she’s just 11.

Medicaid covers the occupational and physical therapy Vivian needs to develop critical life skills that she needs to lead an independent life, which she definitely wants to do. She’s already thinking ahead about living on her own and what she needs to do to live safely and independently, even if she ends up needing a little help around the house. 

Thanks to Medicaid, Vivian has a caregiver who helps us out around the house, and her caregivers also accompany to therapies, medical appointments, and community events so she can do normal kid stuff. If we didn’t have this care, Bobby would have to leave his job; our private insurance is provided through my job as an analyst at a local hospital. Medicaid has also covered necessary surgeries and other medical needs. It even helped us with some home modifications and an accessible van to make getting around safer and easier for her.

Because of Medicaid’s support, Vivian has grown into a passionate, driven young woman. Last year, she took it upon herself to meet with the school’s guidance counselor and principal to talk about necessary accessibility modifications and how to make the school better for disabled kids. She knows some of these will take time and she may graduate before they’re implemented, but it’s still important to her to make school better for everyone. That kind of energy shows up everywhere in her life. 

Medicaid has given me my child. She would not be here today without all these resources, and all these people in her corner. I worry that if Medicaid is cut, home and community-based services like the ones that keep her here with us will be first in line. Losing these services will be incredibly difficult for her, and a huge setback when it comes to the possibility of living a full and active life in the community. 

I also know, as someone who works in the health care system, that losing Medicaid coverage is going to be devastating for hospitals, especially those in rural North Carolina, such as the communities along the coastline. These residents aren’t like me: They don’t live within an hour of multiple major hospital systems. They rely on community hospitals that will not be able to operate if they aren’t receiving Medicaid reimbursements, and residents may need to travel further for care, or forgo care altogether. Hospital closures or cutbacks will also cause job loss, which will disrupt many small communities where hospitals are major employers. 

I want every kid to have access to the resources Vivian does. Medicaid coverage is too important for kids like her, and for everyone who benefits when people live in their communities as active, engaged members.