Lawmakers, advocates, and medical professionals unveiled legislation on Tuesday seeking to ensure all children in Delaware have health insurance coverage.
The Cover All Children Act would require Delaware to create a medical coverage program for children not covered by other programs.
This includes the approximately 5,000 children who are undocumented in the state.
Dr. Marisel Santiago is the Director of Pediatrics at La Red Health Center.
She explains that La Red sees many children who don’t qualify for health insurance because they’re undocumented.
“We have children that the parents can’t afford the dentist, and they go through life suffering the pain,” Dr. Santiago described. “We have parents that can’t afford something as simple as glasses for their children. Parents struggle to sometimes buy medication because they can’t afford it. They can’t afford tests and lab work.
Bill supporters say publicly funded healthcare coverage greatly improves low-income children’s health and long-term outcomes.
Medicaid coverage is linked to fewer chronic conditions, better overall health, improved oral health, and fewer hospitalizations and emergency room visits in adulthood.
State Rep. Krista Griffith is sponsoring the bill. Her son was diagnosed with leukemia. She says without access to preventative care and treatment, he would have died.
“I want to make sure all children in Delaware have access to medical care. So that they too can receive treatment,” said Griffith. “Because it can be a matter of life or death. In fact that’s one of the reasons I ran for office, was to expand access to healthcare.”
The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services estimates this program would cost around 2 million the first year, and possibly jump up to 7 million the second year.
If passed this session, the measure would take effect January 1, 2023.
