WMF makes an impact on women and girls in our own community.
These are the stories of just a few of the women that WMF has helped this past year. Sometimes all that women need is $50. What may seem like a relatively small amount of money can truly make all the difference for women who have none.
If a woman has been raped, or if her life is at risk, she may be entitled to have her Medical Assistance pay for her procedure. WMF can help women who choose to pursue Medicaid funding for their abortion.
As the stories show, WMF helps women and teens from every walk of life. Their ages range from young adolescents to women nearing menopause. Some teens have their family’s support; others receive a judicial bypass. Some women are married; others are not. Most of the women we help already have children. Some work, some are disabled and some are students. They are white, African-American and Latina. Some have the support of their male partners, others are alone. Some live with domestic violence, some with HIV.
R.C. is a 16-year-old high school student. She was caught in the crossfire when gun violence erupted at a cookout. Her mother was fired from her job because she missed work to care for her injured daughter while she was undergoing medical treatment. . R.C.’s situation became even more complicated when she found out that she was pregnant and had no way to pay for the abortion. Although enrolled in Medicaid, she cannot use it for her abortion. Her mother contributed $135 from her savings. WMF assisted with the remaining cost.
D.D. is the mother of five children. She struggles to make ends meet on the $700 that she earns each month as a bus driver. Although she is enrolled in Medicaid, she is prohibited from using it for her abortion. When her friends tried to convince her to continue the pregnancy, she told them, “I can’t pick and choose this kid over what my other kids need.” WMF contributed $100 to help cover the cost of her abortion.
O.A. is an 18-year-old girl who was raped by her father. She pressed charges but the case was dropped when her father committed suicide. In cases of rape or incest, publicly funded insurance covers the cost of an abortion. However, O.A. is enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) which does not cover abortion under any circumstances. WMF supported her with $105.
V.J. is the young mother of a toddler. During her second pregnancy, her doctors said that the fetus was not developing normally and recommended that she have an abortion. Although she is enrolled in Medicaid, she is prohibited from using it for an abortion. Her boyfriend, recently laid off from his job in construction, was unable to help financially. V.J. put much of her savings toward the cost of the procedure and WMF filled the remaining gap with $50.
J.A. is the mother of a young child who works a low-wage job. She is enrolled in Medicaid, she is banned from using it for her abortion. Her boyfriend had helped her raise the money she needed for the abortion. However, the night before her appointment date, her drug-addicted sister broke into her apartment and stole some of the money from her wallet. J.A. called the WMF help line the next morning in tears. WMF compensated the missing $83.
H.P. and her boyfriend live on the margins. They pay their rent with his Social Security check, but panhandling covers their other expenses. After a slow week, they could only contribute $55 dollars towards the cost of her abortion. She is not allowed to use her Medicaid coverage for abortion care, so WMF covered the remaining gap.
M.C. is a young mother of three who just completed a program awarding a certificate in medical billing. She supports her family on child support of $324 per month while she looks for a job. Medicaid covers health care for her family, but it will not cover her abortion. At first, her boyfriend said that he was going to help pay for the abortion, but then he stopped answering her calls. Desperate, she turned to WMF for help. WMF assisted her with $185.