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Children's Medical Services in California is grappling with a budget deficit, so the state runs the risk of reducing its investments in early childhood development, children ages 0 to 5, harming the most vulnerable children by not guaranteeing them medical services.
Nearly 284,000 children in California have been dropped during the Medi-Cal eligibility renewal process required by the federal government for Medicaid beneficiaries, many due to administrative errors and not because the children no longer qualify. , this was stated by experts during an information session carried out by Ethnic Media Services.
Tasha Boerner of California's 77th Assembly District said California is in a multi-billion dollar budget crisis and several programs are at risk of being cut, including programs for families and children.
According to the California Department of Health Care Services, 1.3 million people are disenrolling, and an alarming rate is due to simple administrative errors; The national average for this enrollment is 71 percent, an overwhelming number on its own, and it is estimated that 92 percent of Californians will not have access to necessary medications and other health services for the coming years.
?Many times these families discover that they are unaware of their lack of coverage until they have a medical emergency and seek only the basic services necessary; as a mother it really breaks my heart as these families still qualify for information on health coverage?, commented Boerner
The policy ensured that health care services are in place, especially at a time when Lifeline programs are at risk of being cut and this includes health coverage for children: ?I went directly to make sure we had these funds especially for you, we know these services are critical to ensuring the next generation is healthy and safe in California?.
At the time, Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown Center for Children and Families, explained that we are experiencing a critical moment regarding Children's Health and their access to public health coverage, since every time there is a crisis of this type in the country, Medicaid resources are used
?Congress said we will give them extra money, since you can't cut coverage, or exclude anyone who wants to keep their Medicaid coverage, that brought us to a point where 90 million people were covered by the Medicaid program?, he stressed Joan Alker.
Federal government researchers estimated that three out of every four children who would lose their Medicaid during this time would still be eligible, but when we see large numbers of children losing Medicaid it's a problem, because they likely have no other source of coverage to turn to. go.
In 2023 there were 4 million uninsured children nationwide, so even if half of these children were left without coverage, it would be a national crisis.
The speakers detailed that one in four children who lose coverage in the United States are in Texas, followed by Florida with less than half a million children, Georgia and then California. In that sense, they stated that the state has done a better job, but, of course, it is a large state and most entities are having problems.
Latino families have faced more problems, as bureaucratic barriers arise when trying to obtain and retain coverage, even when the child remains eligible.
?Millions of children lose their Medicaid, we see great interest in making a better world. We would like our elected officials to go further. Our vision is that we do not want any babies to leave hospitals or birthing centers without coverage and we demand that states have them covered?, ended Alker.
Mayra E. Álvarez, president of the children's association The Children's Partnership, commented that the change in health insurance coverage is detrimental to the continuity of medical care.
?Consistent access to health care is necessary for everyone to be healthy and thrive, we saw this particularly during the pandemic, and is especially important for young children who need regular and timely visits for developmental screenings and immunizations, especially during the first years of life, which is when 90 percent of brain development occurs?, he emphasized Mayra E. Álvarez.
Families now have to renew their health coverage annually, and since the state of California began the process, more than one million Californians have lost their health coverage, including 284,000 children, disproportionately affecting Black children.
More than half of California's 9 million children rely on Medicare for coverage, and three out of four of them are children of color.
Of the 284,000 children who have lost coverage, they often do so not because they no longer qualify, but because of administrative procedural obstacles to this enrollment.
?No child should be left without coverage and no family should have to worry about not having the security that comes with coverage and care for their child. Unfortunately, the policy has not yet been funded to meet our planned start date of January 2025, so some new administration must greenlight implementation.?, commented Alvarez.
Dr. Ilan Shapiro, head of health and head of medical affairs at AltaMed, explained that he treats around 500,000 patients, of which a thousand are children, and when a patient comes, especially between zero and five years of age, they are He feels committed, because he has the dream that this child will do the same work and the same work in the community clinics to which services are provided.
?We are there to make sure we give them the best tools, moments and protection for those children to grow into the adults we need?, he added Shapiro, highlighting the importance of commitment in the health system for children.
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