The largest and most diverse group of New Yorkers who are insured through Medicaid are children. In New York, Medicaid covers:
- 51% of births
- 59% of children 0 - 3 years
- 48% of children 0 - 18 years
Yet, the current proposal for how to use the $13.5 billion federal Medicaid waiver makes barely any reference to child health or to the crisis in youth mental health our communities are facing.
This matters because the waiver sets priorities for health care innovation in New York for the next five years. Those innovations are intended not as temporary measures, but as the trial of new approaches that will eventually become permanent.
New York children and families need Medicaid to:
We are calling on everyone who is concerned about child health -- especially health professionals and administrators -- to take part in public feedback sessions on May 3rd and May 10th. Tell them the Medicaid waiver must prioritize substantial investments in child and maternal health.
For a quick fact sheet and how to sign up to speak, click here.
To read our full position statement, click here.
We are also organizing a sign-on letter. You can read the letter here. Use the button below to send us an email about signing your organization onto the letter.