Senator Kim Introduces Landmark “MediKids” Legislation to Guarantee Healthcare for All Children

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) , introduced MediKids , monumental legislation guaranteeing healthcare to all children in America from birth to age 26. “As parents – we promise to do all we can to look after the health and safety of our children. Nothing is more essential than caring for our kids – but as a country, we are failing to uphold that same promise,” Senator Kim said. “Millions of children are falling through the cracks of our healthcare system, and we are the only ones who can stand up and help. I built MediKids to be a step we can take right now to guarantee every single child in the United States the care they need, when they need it. No kid should go without care in our country.” WATCH AND SHARE ( Also on: Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , Threads , Substack , and Bluesky ) 4.4 million children in America do not have healthcare coverage and 1 in 3 kids is underinsured – meaning about 23 million kids’ healthcare coverage is unable to meet their needs. To provide free, high-quality insurance coverage to every kid, MediKids would automatically enroll every child and young adult in America in Medicaid’s robust Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit, which provides comprehensive and preventive health care services for children who are enrolled in Medicaid. Specifically, this legislation would: ·         Automatically enroll every child in MediKids at birth, ·         Provide continuous eligibility for children enrolled in MediKids until age 26, regardless of income, immigration status, or health condition; and ·         Cover 100% of the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for this population. Find more information on MediKids here and read the full bill text of the MediKids Act here . MediKids is co-sponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) and endorsed by: First Focus Campaign for Children, What To Expect Project, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, (ACOG), ZERO TO THREE, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP), National Association of School Nurses, National Education Association (NEA), Families USA, MomsRising, NAACP NJ, Save Our Schools, New Jersey Citizen Action, SPAN Parent Advocacy Network, The Arc of NJ, The New Jersey Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, and CASA of New Jersey. “At a time when the uninsured rates for children is rising and children face unacceptably high rates of infant and child mortality, a growing mental health crisis, and declining immunization rates, Senator Andy Kim’s MediKids bill puts children back on the path toward ensuring all children have health coverage and improved access to care. No child in this country should go without health care simply because of what their parents earn, their zip code, or whether they can navigate a complex and fragmented health care system. In an effort to improve the health, development, and well-being of children, MediKids represents the kind of ambitious, child-centered thinking that the moment demands for our children and grandchildren,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus Campaign for Children. “Medicaid is first and foremost a children’s program that was created with their health needs in mind, helping families receive everything from milestone checkups, to sick care, to immunizations. Pediatricians see first-hand how Medicaid works for the children and families who rely on it – support that should be available to all children, regardless of where they live or where their parents work, and MediKids would do just that. The American Academy of Pediatrics applauds Senator Kim for his leadership on this bill and urges Congress to advance it,” said Andrew D. Racine, MD, PhD, FAAP, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics. ###