The scary reality of losing Medicaid and health care options for one Pennsylvania woman

In the wake of Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ thousands of Pennsylvanians are waking up to a new reality: the loss of Medicaid coverage, and the swift unraveling of access to reproductive health care and basic medical services. This is one local woman’s story.

For Kearasten Jordan, Medicaid is more than a safety net. It’s her health lifeline.

“I got a letter about my Medicaid benefits being up for review,” the Lancaster resident said. “I have a phone call in a few days, but I expect to be cut off.”

Thanks to new requirements passed under President Donald Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,” Medicaid enrollees must meet strict work, disability, or dependent criteria, and prove their eligibility every six months.

“It doesn’t matter if nothing about your life changed,” Jordan said. “Everything changed because of this bill.”

For Jordan, managing a chronic, painful skin condition requires frequent care and daily supplies. Without coverage, her costs multiply: antiseptic soaps that once cost $8 a bottle now run $22, for example—and prescription medications and specialist visits are even higher.

“On Medicaid, my antibiotics were $2. Without it? Nearly $400. And that’s just for one round,” Jordan said.

In rural Pennsylvania, with few providers and even fewer clinics willing to see uninsured patients, her options dwindle. Without Medicaid, Jordan said, “eventually, my medical issues will just get worse. I’ll be unseen. At least my condition won’t kill me…but I worry for people who have life-threatening illnesses. We’re going to have to watch people die.”

Another lifeline under threat

As the possibility of losing Medicaid becomes reality for thousands of Pennsylvanians like Jordan, the safety net provided by clinics such as Planned Parenthood grows increasingly vital—and increasingly threatened. 

A clarifying note: Medicaid has never covered abortions. The cuts to Planned Parenthood—where nearly 70% of patients are low-income and 49% are on Medicaid—will impact general, everyday reproductive health care, like annual exams, cancer screenings, prenatal care, and contraceptives.

Dr. Alhambra Frarey, Chief Medical Officer for Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania, oversees 11 clinics and has been strategizing for this moment even before Trump’s bill passed.

“We have no plans to close clinics in southeastern Pennsylvania,” Frarey said. “We are determined to keep our doors open for anyone who needs us.”

The road ahead, though, looks rough. One-third of Planned Parenthood patients use Medicaid, and with cuts now law, about 12,000 patients in the commonwealth who use these clinics for their reproductive health care stand to lose access to the essential service.

“This bill will deeply harm the most marginalized in our communities—those living in poverty, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, and people with disabilities,” Frarey said. “We’re determined, but it’s a terrifying, uncertain time.”

Despite preparations, the organization faces harsh truths. The national office predicts that “many, many” clinics could be forced to close. While southeastern Pennsylvania clinics remain open for now, the future is unclear for those in rural areas or smaller cities.

The human cost

Jordan’s relationship with Planned Parenthood began as a teenager seeking birth control—a rite of passage made possible because “Planned Parenthood will see you, no matter what: insurance, no insurance, citizenship doesn’t matter. They treat you because everyone deserves health care.”

When she survived sexual violence and a hospital refused to help unless she involved police, it was Planned Parenthood that provided compassionate care: tests, counseling, and contraceptive management. 

“Being seen by a doctor is life-changing,” Jordan said. “So many people take it for granted, but for me, and for a lot of folks, this is the only place they can turn to. If Planned Parenthood didn’t exist, I don’t know where I’d go.”

Jordan, like other Pennsylvanians, fears for the future of her medical insurance and worries it could mean skipping medication or delaying necessary care.

“I’m lucky,” Jordan said. “I have a partner who can help, but unless we get married, I can’t join their insurance. Are we going to be forced into marriage by a bill? It’s disgusting. These requirements just don’t make sense.”

Frarey agreed. 

“We aren’t going to stop providing abortion care, or life-affirming health care, because of these threats,” Frarey said. “But without Medicaid, our ability to help is cut off at the knees, especially for people who already face huge barriers.”

Despite the political storm, the message from both patients and providers is one of resilience and resolve. Planned Parenthood will continue seeing all who need care, as long as possible. But the ground is shifting dangerously beneath their feet.

“I just wish our leaders would see us—not as numbers, but as people with families, with dreams, with real health needs,” Jordan said. “Losing Medicaid isn’t just a policy change. For some of us, it’s everything.”