Anna | Anchorage, AK
Anna is a self-proclaimed “history nerd,” and wants to use her passion to inspire children to love history like she does. As a college student working part-time at a book store, she can pay her tuition towards a degree in elementary education (with a minor in history). When she’s not working, Anna spends her free time studying, but often suffers from debilitating cramps and depressive episodes – occurrences that can offset her entire life for days at a time. Through her family, Anna had been covered under TRICARE, but while working through college, she aged out of the program and lost eligibility.
Without insurance, Anna thought she would have to pay out-of-pocket or even forego health care due to the high costs. But after researching her options, she found out she was eligible for Medicaid due to Medicaid expansion, which was passed in 2015. Initially, she was unfamiliar with the program, but realized that Medicaid would drastically improve her life – she could now access medical visits and needed prescriptions without overburdening her workload. Now, Anna sees a therapist on a regular basis and uses medication to manage her mental health. She also uses hormone therapy to manage pain, enabling her to fully succeed in school and work. After a year on Medicaid, she is on her way to focus on teaching in rural Alaska.
