Astria Goolsby was looking forward to an amazing day of marital bliss until she started having abdominal pain on the way to a wedding. Her pain was so severe she had to go to an MEA Clinic, where she found out she was experiencing pain from an ectopic pregnancy. Astria, the owner of Verve Health Station in Jackson, MS, was suddenly hit with a whirlwind of information as doctors explained that one of her eggs had lodged in her fallopian tubes, causing it to rupture.

Her life changed so drastically fast. Being a small business owner and personal trainer, Astria felt comfortable reserving her right not to spend money on health insurance because she thought she had control of her health. Her confidence diminished once she surprisingly found out she was eight weeks into a pregnancy she could never carry to term and had no insurance to cover the termination procedure. The mental stress was compounded by needing surgery—immediately.

The urgency made her worry about how she would pay for all of this. With so much information thrown at her, she saw all the expenses adding up. A significant help to Astria was a Medicaid representative coming in and explaining to her what rights she had as a pregnant woman and what she had access to as a single mother through Medicaid. Without knowing much about Medicaid and the available programs, the representative walked Astria through the process. The rep explained how Medicaid could help with her current situation in a way that relieved Astria from feeling helpless.

Medicaid took care of everything financially and alleviated a significant burden off her shoulders. It allowed her to focus on what was most important – her health. Not only did Medicaid cover her procedure it also covered up to six months of doctor visits afterward, which encouraged Astria to ensure that she made follow-up visits.

Astria’s story is one of many that shows the importance of Medicaid to women’s health. Medicaid allowed her to receive the necessary surgery and subsequent care while reducing the financial stressors placed on her. It allowed her to prioritize her health. The service Medicaid provides to women is invaluable, and thankfully it has been expanded to cover women and their children for up to a year after birth.