Children’s Hospital Los Angeles President and CEO Says Proposed Senate Health Care Bill Seriously Threatens Medicaid Coverage for Millions of Children and Families

Business Wire

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- “Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) opposes any changes to Medicaid funding that harm children and their families,” says Paul S. Viviano, president and chief executive officer, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “The Senate's version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), called the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), risks the health care coverage of millions of American children and families.”

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Paul S. Viviano, president and chief executive officer, Children's Hospital Los Angeles (Photo: Business Wire)

“As an institution that creates hope and builds healthier futures,” Viviano says, “we implore the U.S. Senate to maintain Medicaid funding. We oppose this bill because it seriously threatens Medicaid coverage for more than 30 million children and their families.

“Children represent nearly half of all Medicaid beneficiaries, yet only 20 percent of the program’s annual expenses, making their health an economic investment,” Viviano says. “Medicaid must be preserved, not cut, capped or block-granted. Children don’t live in isolation; coverage for families matters. Health insurance matters for low-income parents: when parents are insured, their children are more likely to get the health care they need to ensure they lead healthier and prosperous lives. Urge your Senators to protect children’s health care and say no to changes in Medicaid funding.”

About Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Children's Hospital Los Angeles has been named the best children’s hospital in California and among the top 10 in the nation for clinical excellence with its selection to the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll. Children’s Hospital is home to The Saban Research Institute, one of the largest and most productive pediatric research facilities in the United States. Children’s Hospital is also one of America's premier teaching hospitals through its affiliation with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California since 1932. For more information, visit CHLA.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram. You may also visit the institution’s child health blog (CHLA.org/blog) or its research blog (ResearCHLABlog.org).