Children’s Hospital Association Urges Congress to Prioritize Children’s Health

According to a Nov. 3 press release, on behalf of 220 children’s hospitals, Children’s Hospital Association’s (CHA) CEO Mark Wietecha sent a letter to congressional leaders emphasizing the end of year priorities that are essential for children’s healthcare.

The release states that “‘At a time when our children’s hospitals are flooded with kids dealing with respiratory illnesses, mental health crises and other health care needs, congressional action is urgently needed before the end of the year to ensure children’s hospitals have the resources and capacity they need to best take care of our nation’s children. Our children cannot wait for much needed federal support,’ said Mark Wietecha, CEO of CHA. ‘We have worked closely with key committees and a number of congressional offices on bipartisan, bicameral solutions to address this ongoing crisis through investments in Medicaid, boosting the pediatric behavioral health workforce and bolstering community-based and inpatient services and support, but there’s more to be done.’”

The letter explains three areas where Congress can support children’s needs. The first area, according to the release, is making investments toward addressing the mental health emergency among children. CHA says that there is a need for federal Medicaid investment, support for the workforce and community-based systems, as well as funding that is dedicated to the pediatric mental health infrastructure.

The second area is growing support for the pediatric workforce. “The Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education program (CHGME) supports the training of more than half of the nation’s pediatric physician workforce and is essential to the continued access for children to the much-needed pediatric specialists, including doctors to care for children in mental health crisis, that treat complex pediatric medical conditions and respond to viral surges such as RSV,” notes the release.

Finally, the third area is safeguarding children’s health coverage. CHA says that extending 12-month continuous coverage eligibility for children is an imperative step to reduce coverage gaps and ensure stable healthcare coverage for children in Medicaid and CHIP.

Wietecha concludes in the letter by saying that, “It must be a national priority to safeguard our children’s future by ensuring they can receive the high-quality health care they need to grow and thrive. Congress should take steps now to stem the ongoing crisis in children’s mental health, address the growing RSV surge, stabilize children’s coverage through Medicaid and CHIP and invest in the pediatric health care workforce across specialties and disciplines.”