politics
Sen. Andy Kim Proposes MediKids Bill for Universal Child Healthcare
Sen. Andy Kim introduced legislation to automatically enroll U.S. children in Medicaid coverage at birth. The MediKids bill would extend coverage to age 26 and target more than 4 million uninsured children.
Jul 21, 5:20 AM·1m read1 source
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Sen. Andy Kim proposed legislation to provide universal healthcare coverage for children at birth through a new MediKids bill, Semafor reported. The measure would automatically enroll newborns in Medicaid’s early screening and preventive healthcare programs.
The bill would extend coverage until age 26, with automatic enrollment at birth and an opt-out option for families. It would affect more than 4 million uninsured children in the United States. Kim described the proposal as a “jumping-off point” for Democrats’ debate about big ideas and a major plank for when the party regains power.
“I’m really building towards creating that very tangible, concrete idea of what we would do if we had gavels, what we would do if we had the White House back,” he said. The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Alex Padilla of California.
Kim has discussed it with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s team and plans to consult Republicans. ” He indicated openness to including a funding stream for the expansion.
