Being member-centered is one of the core values of MaineCare—we know that MaineCare members are at the heart of our work. We recognize that listening to our members’ feedback, learning their stories, and considering their lived experiences is vital when making decisions that impact health care services.
This page lifts up the different voices of MaineCare, focusing on the diverse experiences that our members have and how MaineCare, and health insurance coverage, has played a role in their and their families’ lives.
The Road To Health
Member Stories
- Westbrook family, whose children have MaineCare
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When we moved to Maine, our whole family received health insurance through my husband's job. We didn't apply for MaineCare because we thought we wouldn't qualify. Then in April 2024, our lives changed. Our three-year-old daughter, who was vibrant and healthy, suddenly woke up one morning unable to move the right side of her body. She couldn't walk straight, and she couldn't move her hand. We rushed her to the emergency room, and after testing, we received the devastating news that she had a rare form of brain cancer called Astroblastoma.
She had to undergo multiple tests, a biopsy, and eventually three brain surgeries--one in Maine and two more at the Children's Hospital in Boston. The bills started coming in, and even though our primary insurance covered some of the costs, we were left with very large medical expenses that were difficult to manage.
A friend told me that MaineCare had changed its guidelines for children and suggested I apply. I did, and to my relief, my children were approved. MaineCare became our secondary insurance and covered the remaining medical costs. We were also able to use the Non-Emergency Transportation (NET) service through MaineCare, which allowed us to travel to and from Boston for her surgeries and radiation treatments. MaineCare made a huge difference for our family during this very difficult time.
MaineCare has taken away so much of the stress and worry about how we would pay for our daughter's medical care. It also gave us access to transportation. My daughter needs many things because of her diagnosis--like MRIs, medicine, rides to out-of-state doctors, physical therapy, radiation treatments and surgeries. It's a big relief that MaineCare covers what our main insurance doesn't. -MaineCare Member of Westbrook, ME