Families and medical professionals also shared the impact that Latinos in North Carolina could face due to Medicaid cuts.
It was a part of the "Healthcare Can't Wait " vigil that honored the loved ones lost due to a lack of healthcare access.
One of the organizers was Jacqueline Andrade Herrera with Progress NC.
"Health care should be affordable. And so with prices increasing, it's just going to continue to widen this gap, specifically that's already wide, " she said.
Latinos specifically, who already have an information gap, who already are susceptible to disinformation, continue to create and widen that bridge, like I mentioned, is just going to create this access to health care that is so vital," Andrade-Herrera continued.
According to state data, North Carolina Medicaid provides affordable health coverage to more than 1 in 4 North Carolinians. Despite the support for Medicaid, threats of massive cuts to the program still loom. It's concerning for Daysi Hurtado, a Medicaid recipient in North Carolina.
"There's definitely some tears in my eyes. It's something that I don't think I don't really process, and like what that picture is going to look like. I am thankful that I do have, like, a really supportive family, and, like, they will help me as much as they can, but it's also not their responsibility," said Hurtado.
She is self-employed and expecting her first child next year. Hurtado is worried that she could lose coverage after finally qualifying for Medicaid.
"I was somehow too poor to get the subsidies. But I also don't have any children, so that I couldn't qualify for Medicaid. And so the expansion was able to allow me to have like the medical attention that I needed. And so now that they're thinking about cutting it again, it kind of puts me back in that same position," she said.
Hurtado also became eligible for SNAP benefits a month ago and that is also in limbo. Due to the government shutdown, SNAP benefits will be disrupted starting November 1st.
"Now I'm back to square one and trying to figure out, it's like, how am I going to get like the food that I need? Because before it would be like, oh, I'll figure it out. I'll just eat ramen for tonight, or I'll go like long periods of time and just like long hours, like without eating. But you can't do that."
The event was just a few days ahead of Día de los Muertos, which is celebrated on November 1st. Families honored healthcare advocates who have since passed away, as well as loved ones who died due to a lack of access to affordable healthcare.
"It is a celebration that happens every year for Latinos, where we focus on giving back to our loved ones. We welcome them back specifically. And today, we are fighting for the living and urging our policymakers and decision makers to urge and fight back against Washington's cuts against Medicaid that people will be seeing coming shortly and their prices will be increasing this January," explained Andrade-Herrera.
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