When my family was in need, Christine Barber's help made a world of difference

By Jim Silva

Sometimes people make a difference in others' lives simply by doing the right thing. They choose to advocate for others, and some take that commitment further by running for public office because they see what is possible. While national issues matter, Christine Barber is focused on serving her community and solving problems. I've seen her tireless work on countless issues of importance. I've also benefitted directly from her responsiveness and action, and I wanted to share my family's experience with Christine.

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Christine helped my family in ways I never could have imagined. As a small business owner who is HIV-positive, acquiring health care wasn't easy. Christine's work advocating for universal health care in the state back in 2006, before being in political office, helped make it possible for me to buy health care directly for the first time.

Her advocacy is not surprising when you get to know her background and experience, and especially when you get to know her. Before she became a state rep, Christine was a health care advocate which uniquely positioned her to make lifesaving legislative changes for people in Massachusetts, including expanding Connector Care access and passing a law capping out-of-pocket costs for insulin and inhalers.

Little did I know how much me and my family would benefit from her direct help. In late 2022, my 92-year-old mother Patty was diagnosed with dementia. She was well known in South Medford for her daily mile-long walk to Dunkin', her Red Line trips from Davis to Macy's to use her Macy's Cash, and her commitment to getting home in time for the Home Shopping Network daily roundup. I worked hard to help her stay in the home she knew—the place, since 1962, where familiar surroundings made her feel safe and happy. Because staying there meant so much to her, it meant everything to me.

By late 2024, Patty's dementia had become more than the care team and I could manage. One night, I missed the WYSE camera alarm while covering nighttime and weekend care. Patty spent hours outside looking for her husband, "Fred," even though my father's name was Jim.

The Medford Fire Department and an ambulance were called, and Patty was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with pneumonia. Although she had Medicare and supplemental private insurance, neither covered long-term care. Patty's only income was a small pension and SSI, so I knew we would need to apply for MassHealth for long-term care support

With help from the hospital's family services staff, we found a rehab facility with a long-term memory care unit and, most importantly, an available bed. The Beth Israel-Lahey Client Relations team helped me organize Patty's MassHealth application, which was submitted on December 12, 2024. Then, nothing happened, not even an acknowledgment. I asked the client team at Beth Israel-Lahey to confirm that the application had been received. It had, but the confirmation contained no contact name.

Each day, I called MassHealth for an update. Each time, I heard the same response: "It's being reviewed." The reviewers remained nameless, and there was still no clear path forward.

Then the situation changed. After the care team submitted its assessment to Patty's private insurance carrier, received word coverage would end after Patty's first 30 days requested a review of the decision but it was denied. I was told I could pick her up on January 12 at noon.

I called the care home, bracing myself for what came next. To my surprise and relief, they had found a permanent placement for my mother, but I still needed help with the MassHealth application. Even after repeated calls to the main number, I received nothing except the same form letter asking for the information that I had sent via fax and because of my long history as a community advocate in South Medford, I had worked with Christine many times on projects such as the GLX Community Working Group for Ball Square Medford, SMRTO's Mystic Avenue Crossing, and efforts to connect charter groups with state resources. I also knew firsthand about her work on MassHealth and health care issues, so I decided to reach out to her. I explained what happened with MassHealth, including the lost or ignored correspondence, and she said what we all know: it should not be this hard.

One of her staff members stepped in as a liaison to help shepherd the process, and in April 2025, my mother was approved for MassHealth and her placement at the facility was secured.

With substantial senior populations in Medford (21%), Cambridge (16%), Somerville (15%), and Winchester (22.6%), many families face the same uncertainties. Christine knows and understands these challenges, and with her expertise, dedication, and caring, is well positioned to help constituents navigate them and to fight for broader changes and improvements.

I don't know what I would have done without Christine and her staff helping me navigate the system and make sure my family was cared for. I will always be grateful for her attention and care. Her experience and advocacy made an enormous difference at a difficult time.

Over the years, I've tried to let people know about Chrstine's valuable advocacy. During Pride Month, I would stand outside my office with friends in the South End along the Pride parade route with Christine Barber signs. When people asked why I was displaying signs outside her district, I explained that her advocacy for universal health care mattered to me. I wanted to share what she had accomplished for my community and for people across Massachusetts.

I have known Christine for years now, first meeting her when she ran for State Representative in the 34th Middlesex District. My support has never wavered; in fact, it has only grown, and I feel compelled to speak about her leadership. I wanted to share this with voters in the State Senate's 2nd Middlesex District, which includes Medford, along with Somerville, Cambridge, and Winchester, ahead of the September 1st election.