Sarah Jukaku, MD, wife of Abdul El-Sayed, found herself mired in a shocking controversy after the Democrat candidate won the Michigan senate primaries.
While El-Sayed has argued 'healthcare shouldn't depend on who signs your paycheck' and demanded taxpayers guarantee ‘healthcare from cradle to grave’ via the Medicare-for-all, his wife appears to be at loggerheads with this stance.
Her medical practice's website reportedly notes she is out of network with all insurance companies. This means, patients have to pay the practice directly. Fox News reported that some might be eligible for out-of-network reimbursement.
Where does Sarah Jukaku stand on Medicare
Before July 2026, the FAQ section on Jukaku's website for her practice had a question ‘do you accept my insurance?’, to which the answer was ‘no’ as per The Washington Free Beacon.
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{{/usCountry}}Her Psychology Today profile also noted at one point that Jukaku did not accept insurance. She has her own practice where she's sole physician. The website has now been made inaccessible to the public and shows a message indicating it is private.
Sarah Jukaku's stance draws criticism online
Jukaku's stance drew widespread criticism online, with many pointing out how it was against the very policies her husband sought to champion as a politician.
“I find it funny his wife doesn’t except Medicare. He’s calling for Medicare for all and yet his wife, Sarah Jukaku (also referred to as Dr. Sarah Jukaku). who opened her own private practice, Mind Work Psychiatry, in Ann Arbor around 2024, opted OUT of Medicare so she cannot bill Medicare and Medicare patients must pay out of pocket,” one wrote, adding, “Her practice is out-of-network for all insurance companies and operates on a fee-for-service / cash-pay basis—patients pay directly! El-Sayed advocates for Medicare for All, and yet, his own wife’s psychiatry practice does not accept Medicare or other insurance.”
Another asked “If you preach government-run healthcare, shouldn’t the same rules apply to everyone?”. One even said it was ‘ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE…There is a reason for this - The rules won't apply to her - She wants to keep more money for herself and her family and cut Medicare, etc out."
Speaking of his wife's medical practice, El-Sayed said in 2020 “my wife's a psychiatrist, and we talk about the fact that a lot of folks don't do psychiatry because it's not as well recompensed as other practices simply because it's undervalued in the system.” Then, in 2025, he said those with ‘serious mental illness’ can often ‘fall out of care’ over ‘transitions in health insurance.’
El-Sayed has a medical degree but has never been a licensed physician. The two reported about $686,000 in total income in 2025.