Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, has struck an agreement with UnitedHealthcare as of Nov. 10.
The hospital came under fire after announcing they would no longer accept any coverage plans associated with the Affordable Care Act, or ACA, starting in January 2027. Hundreds of families would have lost coverage at the hospital. Kasey Jackson, a parent whose 13-year-old son Elijah is battling a second round of cancer and receives treatments at the hospital, sounded the alarm this fall by posting her outrage on social media.
"I am very angry right now," Jackson said in an October TikTok that was viewed more than 400,000 times. "There are no options available for people that do not qualify for an employee-sponsored plan to get care
for their children, at the only children's hospital where they can get care."
Jackson continued to post over the following weeks, urging Children's Mercy to find an ACA provider. Others chimed in, including influencer Jen Hamilton who posted a reaction video to Jackson's initial post, commenting: "As a human being, I don't agree with cutting health care for people." Hamilton's video was viewed more than one million times.
On Nov. 10, the hospital announced it will be in-network with UnitedHealthcare ACA Marketplace Plans beginning Jan. 1, 2027. The statement adds that the hospital is continuing discussions with additional ACA Marketplace health plans about in-network access and will share updates with families as they become available.
"This announcement reflects a shared commitment to helping children access the specialized care they need, while providing greater choice for families selecting coverage for 2027," the statement reads.
After the announcement, Jackson posted another video, crying tears of joy.
"It's official," Jackson said in the Nov. 10 video, which has been viewed more than 130,000 times. "We did it."
Social media users who have been following the saga commented their congratulations.
"Stand up and take a bow! For your baby and 100’s more!! Way to go Momma!" one user wrote.
"I am so glad this was the outcome but also still furious it was an even an issue to begin with," another commented.
Madeline Mitchell's role covering women and the caregiving economy at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.
Reach Madeline at memitchell@usatoday.com and @maddiemitch_ on X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Her son has cancer. When his hospital dropped their insurance, she took to TikTok. It worked
