Trapped in America's Safety Net

Even if she had had private health insurance, ultimately she would have needed to enroll in Medicaid: it’s the only realistic source—public or private—for the long-term services she continues to need as a disabled person. Because Medicaid is a program for the poor, Marcella and Dave had to spend down their assets to qualify; they now live on a near-poverty income. And to stay eligible, they will have to remain under these strictures, perhaps for the rest of their lives.