It is critical to ensure that children are not an afterthought of health care reform.  Their voices must be heard in the conversation.  In conjunction with its state and national partners, Michigan's Children supports the following in regard to health care reform:

• Pass health care reform. It is critical that our nation adopt health reform that provides coverage to everyone, addresses the rising cost of insurance and improves the quality of care.

• Do no harm to children.  Health reform should not reverse progress our nation has achieved for children’s health coverage.  Nearly one-third of our nation’s children—and just over a third of children in Michigan—get their health care through Medicaid and SCHIP.  Before making any changes to these successful programs, Congress should make sure that vulnerable children don’t fall through the cracks during the transition phase and should ensure that children receive comparable benefits at an affordable price under any new program.
• Insure all kids.  Six million of the nation’s nine million uninsured children are eligible but not enrolled in Medicaid and SCHIP.  Eliminating red tape and bureaucracy by simplifying enrollment would be the cheapest, quickest and smartest first step to get most of our children covered.  Parents should have hassle-free ways to sign up their children for insurance.
• Cover kids from head to toe.  All children need coverage that meets their unique developmental needs, and provides them with the preventive services, medical care, and oral and mental health benefits needed to launch them on a better trajectory in life.

Michigan’s Children is proud to work with First Focus in ensuring a better health care system for all children.  We also thank the Kresge Foundation for their support of our work in this area.