By: Susan J. Kressly, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics
“The legislation passed in the U.S. House of Representatives early this morning, H.R. 1, includes sweeping policies that would harm the health of children and families. To invest in our country’s future, we must support children and families in our communities, setting them up to thrive. Policies in this bill would do the opposite and must be rejected in the U.S. Senate.
“Pediatricians know first-hand the impact of federal policies and programs on child health. Cuts to lifeline programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would be devastating to the children and families who rely on them for access to health care and the food they need.
“Medicaid is the backbone of the health care system for children. Medicaid beneficiaries make up half of the visits to children’s hospitals and 35% of the pediatric patient population, with much higher percentages in rural communities. Cuts to Medicaid of this magnitude would have a significant impact on children's hospitals and would likely result in pediatric beds in community hospitals and pediatric mental health services being cut or eliminated in communities with the most need. This would mean pediatric expertise may not be there for families, regardless of the type of insurance they have.
“Additionally, policies in this legislation would make it more difficult for future pediatricians to afford medical school at a time when pediatric workforce shortages already hinder the ability of children in rural and other communities to access care. Collectively, these policies would make it harder for children today and in the future to access the health care they need to be healthy.
“The AAP is also deeply concerned by proposals in the legislation to expand the use of detention for immigrant children and make it more difficult for unaccompanied children to be unified with their families. Pediatricians know that children belong in communities and at school, not in detention centers, and that any length of time in detention is detrimental to children’s health.
“This legislation, as it stands, fails to prioritize the health of children and families and would lead to a less healthy country in the years to come. These are policies that would impact real people in every community and would have real consequences in both the short and long term, as today’s generation of children grows and contributes to our society. As this legislation advances, pediatricians urge the Senate to reject these harmful proposals and advance policies that allow children and families to thrive.”
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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.