Voices’ Blog

Social Media Days of Action March 15th-18th- #KeepKidsCoveredVA

Posted:  -  By: Emily Griffey

Help us amplify the message that we must preserve health insurance coverage for the 95% of Virginia children that have it today. We ask you to take part in a #KeepKidsCoveredVA Week of Action! We will repost social media with the hashtag #KeepKidsCoveredVA on our Facebook page on the “Protect Kids Care” Day of Action, Saturday, March 18th.

Step 1: Download our poster to complete the thought “Without health insurance coverage…”

Step 2: Take a photo of your friends, family, health care provider or favorite kiddos with the poster and your statement.

Step 3: Share your photo on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #KeepKidsCoveredVA between now and Saturday, March 18th

You can also post or tweet without a picture and just the message “Without health insurance coverage….” #KeepKidsCoveredVA
Visit our KIDS COUNT Data Center for the number and percentage of uninsured children in your locality.

Here are our key take-aways for how the American Health Care Act (AHCA) will impact children and families…

  1. The 600,000 children covered by Medicaid and FAMIS in Virginia could face changes to their eligibility or benefits, leaving kids without access to dental and mental health, and specialty services.
  2. To make up for proposed cuts to Medicaid, states could have to choose which populations deserve coverage — low-income children, pregnant women, foster care children and former foster youth, the elderly, and disabled children and adults. Approximately half of Medicaid enrollees in Virginia are children.
  3. Taking away health insurance from children could impact their long-term health outcomes and well-being. If children are not covered they do not get their immunizations, preventive check-ups, or dental care which allow kids the opportunity to grow up healthy and to thrive in school and work.
  4. Children with disabilities could be especially impacted if their coverage is threatened and our Medicaid program could not afford to cover waivers or specialty care services.
  5. Many low and moderate-income working families who received marketplace subsidies or tax credits would have to pay more or go without coverage.
  6. Children’s health services providers, such as pediatricians and hospitals, rely on Medicaid funding to stay in business and offer critical health care services.
  7. Low-income pregnant women may lose coverage options, meaning they wouldn’t have access to prenatal care.

You can read more about how the AHCA proposals impact children on our blog.

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