Too many South Dakotans go without health care as families struggle to afford medical bills while the cost of food and housing rise. This short documentary explores how Medicaid would be a lifeline for residents caught in the health coverage gap.
Since the creation of this film, South Dakotans voted to expand Medicaid! This was a big step forward for South Dakota but it is important that we continue the work to protect the win and ensure that every South Dakotan can keep their affordable, quality health insurance.
Watch the full film
Meet the storytellers
Scott Lantz
A longtime resident of Rapid City, South Dakota, Scott was working full-time at a local store when he hurt his back loading goods into a customer’s car. His doctor limited his work hours while he recovered, but after a few months of part-time work, he lost access to his insurance benefits. Scott’s injury limits his ability to work, help his fiancée around the house, and even take a road trip to visit his family. In addition, without insurance, he is unable to treat a chronic health condition.
Sarah Nelson
A mother of two children in Black Hawk, South Dakota, Sarah was unable to afford the high premium for her employer-sponsored health insurance so she had to go without coverage for herself. A few months after declining coverage, she started having health issues that led to a diabetes diagnosis and ongoing treatment for a painful skin lesion. Without insurance, she racked up medical bills as she tried to balance her own health care while prioritizing her two children. While Sarah’s health issues and the impacts of the medical debt she incurred while uninsured are ongoing, she was fortunately able to secure private health insurance coverage since the documentary was filmed.
Colter Quinn
The only child of a single mother, Colter cherished the strong relationship he had with his mother, Rosey. After his mom was diagnosed with cancer, Colter dropped out of college and moved home to Hartford, South Dakota to care for her. Because Rosey didn’t have insurance at the time of her diagnosis, Colter would share his paychecks with her to help pay for the medical bills. At a time when he should have been focusing on his mother’s health, Colter also had to learn, much too young, the financial toll of cancer.
Host a screening
Interested in hosting an independent screening of our short documentary Hope in the Heartland: Closing the Health Care Gap with your networks? Check out our screening guide[1] ! This guide includes promotional content, instructions to access the full film, and discussion guide and more.
Other film in this series: