The sacred scriptures of every faith tradition speak with unanimity on the value of children. Unfortunately, nine million children in the wealthiest nation in the world do not have health insurance. Of those nine million kids, almost 90 percent of them live in working households. This is a national tragedy.
While Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program have made great strides in covering our most vulnerable children, there is still much to be done. That is why I have signed onto the Healthy Child Campaign organized by the Children’s Defense Fund. That campaign has called on Congress to: ensure that all children and pregnant women have health coverage and access to timely health care; guarantee all children and pregnant women comprehensive and equal health benefits for all medically necessary services regardless of where they live; and simplify enrollment so it’s easy for all children to get and stay covered.
Access to basic medical care is a right, not a luxury. Children, especially, need health insurance as they grow and realize their God-given potential. Surely, this is an issue on which all people of faith and goodwill can come together in order to find a solution that will save lives and reaffirm the dignity of all our children. Anything less than that hardly can be called moral.
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