Why Medicaid Must Be Saved

As the landscape of healthcare reform shifts rapidly, it’s clear the federal Medicaid program – the nation’s largest insurer of children – is in jeopardy. Over the next two weeks, the United State Senate will debate a version of the American Health Care Act, which drastically endangers the care of children.

As pediatricians and neonatologists, we know firsthand such measures would be devastating to the critically ill babies we care for, over 70% of which receive Medicaid coverage. Nationally, Medicaid is fundamentally integrated into child health, covering 40% of all children, including 8 million kids in California.   

Without this strong health insurance program, parents will become dependent on the emergency room for their children’s care, increasing costs and causing unnecessary suffering for children who could have had mild conditions treated by a pediatrician before they got worse.

Even if your children aren’t in the program, your family will be affected. Since Medicaid covers so many kids, local children’s hospitals, including ours, disproportionately rely on Medicaid payments. Without those funds, hospitals will reduce personnel, which impacts all hospitalized children, regardless of insurance status.

Economically, Medicaid also covers a great share of children with special health care needs, including children with cancer and cystic fibrosis. Without this support, these children will receive uncompensated care by a hospital, increasing the charges for private insurers who ultimately relay those costs to their beneficiaries via increased premiums.   

Reductions in Medicaid funding are shortsighted and ignore the long-term effects of having a healthy childhood. Healthy children become more successful adults. Children are 0% of the vote and 100% of our future. As parents, we know there is nothing we wouldn’t do for our children. Medicaid has been there for our poorest children, allowing them to stay healthy. It’s time for pediatricians and parents to be there for Medicaid.

Joyce Javier, MD, MPH,MS, FAAP
La Crescenta
Shetal Shah, MD FAAP
Heather Brumberg, MD MPH FAAP
Note that the authors are members of the national Society for Pediatric Research Advocacy Committee and practicing pediatricians/neonatologists at Children’s Hospital
Los Angeles, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital/
New York Medical College

  Joyce Javier