Iowa family fights for Medicaid for daughter
The trip won't be Scholz first to
"The acuteness of our conversation tomorrow, especially with the revised edition of the senate version of the (Affordable Care Act) replacement -- we'll be reading about that feverishly in the morning," Scholz said on Wednesday.
Both
For
"It's a topic that's front and center," Scholz said. "It has such a huge impact on not only the Schmidts, whose daughter has complex congenital heart disease and massive medical bills that could never be covered by the family, ... Medicaid support for families like them and other kids with complex medical conditions is essential for the kids and families of
More than 40 percent of children rely on Medicaid -- a number that's grown as scientific advances have enabled more children to survive serious illnesses. Of more than 30 million children enrolled in Medicaid, at least two million have complex medical conditions such as cancer or heart conditions.
Her health care expenses reached
"Medicaid has been a lifesaver for us,"
She noted Ellie always will need doctor visits, meaning she'll always be paying medical bills.
"We are fighting to keep her health coverage so she can be healthy," Heidi said.
ACA provisions that in the past few years have enabled families to achieve reliable coverage without worries over pre-existing conditions or coverage caps have been "huge," according to Scholz.
"Especially for kids like
If new legislation results in lifetime coverage limits, children might miss follow-up appointments or put off care until they are "devastatingly ill," Scholz said. When they finally present with symptoms, they might be critically sick with a medical condition that could have been caught.
Families who max out their coverage could be forced to pay out of pocket, eventually resorting to "charity care" -- when they seek care at a hospital but can't pay. That puts the financial burden back on the facilities and the communities in which those health centers operate.
"For a state like
Children represent nearly half of all Medicaid enrollees, but less than 20 percent of program costs. That means a big cut to Medicaid disproportionately could affect them, according to consulting company
"Dramatic cuts to Medicaid as proposed in the
"As a matter of public policy, we should not be attempting to fix our national budget problems by cutting children's health care."
l Comments: (319) 339-3158; [email protected]
Like what you're reading?
We make it easy to stay connected:
Follow @TwitterDev
Subscribe to our email newsletters
Download our free apps
Your next Health articles
NICUs offering volunteer cuddling care t ...
Bone marrow donor drive honors
Dinging, buzzing, vibrating cellphone is ...
___
(c)2017 The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
Visit The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) at thegazette.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Isabella ‘Sissy’ Hoblitzell, homemaker, gardener and dowser
Life Insurance in China, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News