Did you know that Congress is discussing changes to the health care system right now that could impact how your children get health care coverage and the quality of that care?  The President and many in Congress are committed to enacting major health care changes this year to provide health insurance to more Americans.  The goals are laudable, but how will these changes affect the country’s most precious resource — our children — remains to be seen.  As moms we have stories to tell on how these changes will directly affect our children and Congress needs to hear these stories now as they consider the future of health care in America.  Children have a lot to gain in health reform, but they also have the most to lose if health reform does not address their needs. 

I am director of Medicaid and state policy analysis for the National Association of Children's Hospitals (N.A.C.H.) and have worked on children's health policy issues most of my career. I am also a mom to two energetic young boys — Owen, 7 and Carter, 3.  Owen at 7 cannot understand how some children in our country are not able to get health care services when they need them.  In my more advanced years, I have the same problem grasping this concept.

I know not only from my professional work, but also because I am a mom, how important health care is for children.  I have been lucky to have good health insurance for my children through my employer.  But many children do not have access to health care and this affects their school attendance and overall educational achievement.  A child's ability to access preventive and needed health care services when they are young can impact their long term health and their quality of life well into adulthood. Without access to health care coverage, children often delay needed medical care and miss well-child visits.  In the current tough economic times, many families are finding themselves unexpectedly out of work and without health coverage.  An increasing number of families are facing these challenges and it could happen to any of us.  

Many of my friends and family not familiar with the intricacies of health policy ask me why including children in the health care debate means so much to me since I have private health insurance coverage for my kids. It is important to me because I believe that Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program are important safety nets for many families and would be there for my family if we needed them. It is important to me to support the health care workforce for children so that all children can have access to the specialty care they need when they need it. It is also important to me to improve the quality of health care provided to children and the information available so that when children need health care services their parents can make educated decisions on providers and treatments. 

That is why I believe making sure that children have a voice in health reform is the right action to take. Why is it important to you that children's needs be included? Your family’s story might be about how hard it is to get the right health care coverage, or to find the right specialists and get a timely appointment, or to pay for health insurance premiums, co-pays and uncovered services. Or maybe you’ve had a sick child and were able to access the care you needed thanks to the health coverage you do have and want to make sure that other parents and families have the same experience. Please share your family’s health care story at www.SpeakNowforKids.org. The Speak Now for Kids campaign is non-partisan and is uniquely focused on making sure our elected officials don’t forget about kids as they are reforming our health care system.  Congress is on a fast track to get legislation passed this summer so now is the time to Speak Now for Kids!