Commentary: The cost of 'I Do' in the disability community * Pennsylvania Capital-Star

For Patrice Jetter and Garry Wickham, engagement quickly turned into a hard financial calculation: whether they could afford to marry. Because they receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid, the couple learned their benefits would likely be cut if they wed—or even moved in together—an obstacle they say forces people with disabilities to choose between legal commitment and survival. Ultimately, Jetter and Wickham decided they could not afford to marry. Their story is at the center of “Patrice: The Movie,” a 2024 documentary directed by Ted Passon with support from the Ford Foundation’s JustFilms initiative.