Watch: Democratic Senator Proposes a Fix for American Healthcare — Covering All Kids
Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey wants to offer universal healthcare until age 26. He sat down with KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to answer the question: “How Would You Fix It?”
Senator Andy Kim, a Democrat from New Jersey and member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, recently proposed a plan to extend health coverage to all children in the United States. In an interview on the What the Health? podcast, Kim explained that his proposal aims to ensure that every child can visit a doctor without facing financial hardship.
The senator's proposed program, which he calls MediKids, would automatically enroll children at birth in a public health program. While parents would have the option to dis-enroll their children, they could re-enroll them until they turn 26, according to Kim. The senator emphasized the importance of providing comprehensive, universal coverage to children, as it would enable them to avoid chronic conditions in adulthood and offer broader societal benefits, such as a healthier workforce.
Kim further stated that he hopes his idea could gain momentum if Democrats secure a majority in Congress during the upcoming midterm elections, and that the proposal could be a significant talking point during the 2028 presidential campaign. KFF Health News, a non-profit newsroom, produced this in-depth report on health issues and is an integral part of KFF, an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
Written by urgent.news from KFF Health News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
