“Today, we are presented with new evidence that the U.S. House-passed American Health Care Act (AHCA) will impose severe cuts on Medicaid for kids. Over the course of 10 years, Medicaid funding for Ohio children would be cut by $1.6 billion. This loss would be devastating to the health of our state’s children, and the U.S. Senate must act now to stop it.

In Ohio, more than half of the patients in our children’s hospitals are covered by the Medicaid program. Medicaid provides health coverage to 1.2 million – or half of all Ohio children – and more than 30 million children nationwide. Children enrolled in Medicaid receive vital health care services — from primary to specialty care — that help them reach their full health potential. We know investing in children’s health now can yield benefits over a lifetime.

Ohio children already on Medicaid were not the beneficiaries of Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act) and they should not be the victims of its repeal, repair or revision. Kids should not pay the price for overspending elsewhere in the Medicaid program, but they will if protections are not put in place to ensure predictable, stable and adequate funding for their care.

Ohio’s six children’s hospitals are prepared to continue to work with both of Ohio’s U.S. Senators and our U.S. House members to ensure severe U.S. House-passed Medicaid cuts to kids do not take place. We must continue investing in children’s health, Ohio’s most precious asset, by protecting Medicaid funding, coverage and benefits for kids.”

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