KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
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Kansas City-based First Hand Foundation said demand for financial assistance continues to outpace available funding for families accessing care at Children's Mercy.
The nonprofit provides direct financial assistance to children and families who are uninsured or underinsured and require medical care.
On Tuesday, Children's Mercy announced it will no longer be an in-network provider for Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
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Children's Mercy said the exit of Medica's ACA plan impacts around 400 patients at the hospital. Other local ACA plans are not under contract with the hospital to be in-network next year, according to Children's Mercy.
"This is exactly the kind of gap in pediatric healthcare access that First Hand Foundation works to address every day," Mollie Robinson, First Hand Foundation president, said when she reached out to KSHB 41 reporter Lily O'Shea Becker through email.
Robinson said the First Hand Foundation has a dedicated fund for children receiving care at Children's Mercy.
In 2026, the nonprofit has provided more than $60,000 in assistance to Children's Mercy patients.
"The need has far exceeded what we have available in that fund, so we're using unrestricted dollars to continue helping children right here in Kansas City," Robinson said in the email.
Robinson said First Hand Foundation has experienced a shift in the types of grant requests the foundation receives, "which indicates to us there’s been a major shift in what Medicaid or private insurance is willing to cover for families.”
“It’s not just Children’s Mercy," Robinson said. "I think we see a true gap in what families need versus what they have access to.”
Hannah Claxton reached out to the First Hand Foundation when Cigna insurance only partially covered her 2-year-old son Augustine's leg and hand braces. His specialists at Children's Mercy recommended the equipment.
Augustine is diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
“Hoping he’ll be able to walk, it looks like he should be, especially with the help of these (braces)," Claxton said.
Claxton said early intervention can change her son's future, but it comes with a cost. His therapy, which is separate from Children's Mercy, is out of network for the Claxtons.
“Our deductibles are so high, so most of the visits have been out of pocket too," Claxton said.
Claxton said her family's insurance plan is through her husband's employment, but they are now shopping for another option.
In the meantime, the First Hand Foundation helped paid for what Cigna insurance didn't cover on the Claxton's bill for Augustine's braces. The foundation provided the Claxton family with about $2,500.
“I was like they probably see $50,000 requests come across, so in my mind, I was like it’s kind of small but for us is big," Claxton said.
Meghan Brown, First Hand Foundation director of programs, estimates the nonprofit receives about 50 to 75 grant requests a month.
The nonprofit also assesses assistance for out-of-network bills on a case-by-case basis and helps families understand if they're eligible for Medicaid, according to Robinson.
“A lot of people assume that if somebody has insurance or has access that the answer is there and they don’t need any help, but it’s quite the opposite," Brown said. "There’s still gaps in care.”
Jeanne Patterson founded the First Hand Foundation. Because of the increase in grant requests the foundation is experiencing, the Patterson family is matching public donations.
The First Hand Foundation provides about $2.5 million in grants every year. About 60% of the grants are given to families in the Kansas City region, according to Robinson.
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