1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

As your constituent, I am writing to urge you to support the MediKids Act—by co-sponsoring S. 5037 in the Senate or introducing a House companion bill—to ensure every child in America has uninterrupted access to quality healthcare from birth. Ensuring that every child in America has uninterrupted access to quality healthcare from birth is both a moral duty and a smart financial decision. While this ambitious proposal is awaiting formal scoring, the core economic case for preventive pediatric care is already clear. - Smart Economics and Cost Prevention: Uninsured and underinsured children often end up receiving delayed care in emergency rooms—the most expensive setting in our medical system. By providing continuous coverage from birth through age 26, with automatic enrollment and the option to opt out for private coverage, the MediKids Act emphasizes early screenings, routine vaccinations, and preventive care. Because this program is fully federally funded, it creates no new budget obligations for state governments while shifting the focus from expensive, reactive emergency care to cost-effective primary care. - Protecting Every Child and Supporting Our Communities: Every American—whether we have children of our own or not—has a shared stake in raising a healthy, safe, and resilient next generation. The health of our children isn't just a private family matter; it is a core public good that determines the future strength of our entire society. Yet an estimated 4.5 million American kids currently have no health insurance, and another 23 million are underinsured—a gap that continues to widen. MediKids establishes a seamless safety net so that no child falls through the cracks, regardless of their family's income or zip code. - Reimbursement Rates Must Keep Pediatricians in the Program: A health program is only as strong as the doctors willing to accept it. Medicaid has historically reimbursed pediatric care well below Medicare and private insurance rates—one widely cited study found pediatric hearing service rates at just 67% of Medicare and 38% of commercial insurance. States that have cut reimbursement further are already seeing pediatricians leave Medicaid networks entirely. The American Academy of Pediatrics has long advocated raising payment rates to at least Medicare parity. If MediKids is to succeed, it must include reimbursement rates that allow pediatric practices to remain financially viable. Investing in our children's health today guarantees a stronger, healthier, and more economically productive nation tomorrow. I ask that you put children and families first by backing the MediKids Act (S. 5037) and ensuring any legislation includes the fair reimbursement support pediatricians need to make this coverage real in our communities.