Today is National Child Health Day, and the irony of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) expiring this past weekend is not lost on me.
Nine MILLION children stand to lose their access to health care. That's 9 million children without routine checkups and immunizations. Nine million children whose parents will have to think twice about taking them to the doctor when they get sick. Nine million children whose families may be unable to afford emergency care if they fall off the jungle gym.
I am worried for these families, and I am angry at the failure of congressional Republicans to act. But I am not surprised. Both at the federal level and right here in Missouri, affordable health care for our most vulnerable citizens is simply not a priority for Republicans.
As a leader of Indivisible KC, I witnessed this as I spent months trying to convince my senator, Roy Blunt, to protect health care, only to watch him vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Sen. Blunt showed a complete disregard for kids like Izzy, whose cystic fibrosis diagnosis meant that without the ACA she would have hit her lifetime coverage cap and lost her health care - and the treatments she relies on to live - before the age of 2.
Here in Missouri, it's the same thing. Republicans in Jefferson City care as little about affordable health care as their counterparts in Washington. Senior and disabled Missourians are facing cuts to prescription drug coverage and in-home care services, all to pay for tax cuts for wealthy Republican donors.
This has to stop. Health care is a human right, and we need to expand access not curb coverage. If Republicans in Jefferson City and Washington don't want to do anything about it, then it's time to elect different people — people like me and my friend Keri— who will fight for affordable healthcare for all Missourians.
When I get to the Missouri Senate, I promise to fight to restore funding for the Missouri Rx program and in-home care services. I’ll also push for our state to finally expand Medicaid. Missourians deserve nothing less.