Kansas mom says Children’s Mercy ACA marketplace deal is a win for families

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) — Children’s Mercy announced Tuesday it will be in-network with UnitedHealthcare Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans in January; it’s huge news for families like Kasey Jackson’s.

On Oct. 20, Kasey posted a video on Instagram sharing her frustration after learning that Children’s Mercy would no longer be in-network with any ACA marketplace plans in 2027. KCTV5 was there as Kasey and her husband, Tim, tried to figure out what to do next.

Their 13-year-old son, Elijah, is currently battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Kasey and her husband are self-employed, so they rely on the ACA marketplace for insurance.

On Tuesday, when CMH announced the deal with UnitedHealthcare, Kasey said she was in the middle of making dinner when she got the text.

“Get the word, and I have to tell my husband, and he said, ' Well, go take your victory lap! Go post it! Go live on Instagram,” said Kasey.

Since first learning of the change, Kasey has posted video after video on her Instagram, asking questions, looking for answers or a solution.

“I just felt like I was kind of yelling out into a void,” said Kasey. “But it just seems like the public and the moms and the dads in Kansas City just rallied behind us, and really, I don’t think this would have happened without them being vocal about how families like ours deserve to have an option.”

She felt the support, but said she also faced backlash online for speaking out. Something she said was difficult.

“I hated that I had to do this,” said Kasey. “We had to have a spinal tap and chemo treatment right in the middle of all this happening. And it felt a little strange to go to the hospital when I knew what was going on behind the scenes. And I mean, it’s been a huge disruption to our life for the last three weeks.”

To know that they will have coverage in January, Kasey said, made the whole fight worth it.

“I can look bad. I don’t care about my reputation. I have no hard feelings towards Children’s Mercy Hospital because we got what we needed for all of these families,” said Kasey.

She said it is sad she had to fight for this and wants to see change come from the last three weeks of stress families faced.

“I hope that one thing that Children’s Mercy can take away from this, and that the insurance companies can take away from this, and then, you know, the newly elected officials can take away from this, is that we have to do something to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” said Kasey. “Children with life-threatening conditions should not be the ones that are sacrificed, and they need to have an option to be able to purchase healthcare, no matter what their parents do for a living.”

Now, her family and others can focus on what matters most.

“We can just go back to our life and making sure that the cancer stays away,” said Kasey.

Children’s Mercy said it is still not in-network with the other three ACA marketplace plans: Ambetter, BlueKC (Blue Metro and BlueSelect), and Oscar ACA. CMH shared, “Children’s Mercy continues discussions with additional ACA Marketplace health plans about in-network access. We will share any updates with families. As a nonprofit pediatric hospital, Children’s Mercy will continue advocating for meaningful access to the specialized care children need.”

You can enroll now for ACA marketplace plans; you must make a selection by Dec. 15 if you want coverage to start Jan. 1, 2027. If you have further questions, you can visit the updated CMH FAQ page or contact Children’s Mercy Financial Counselors at 816) 302-1650.