All Children Deserve Healthcare!


KidsCare – affordable health insurance for children – has been an Arizona success story for more than 10 years, helping thousands of kids grow up healthy and strong.  Governor Brewer and Legislative Leaders decided to cut this life-saving program and now children in working families are being turned away from the health care they need.

Bring Back KidsCare adBefore recent budget cuts, KidsCare connected more than 45,000 children in working families with affordable health insurance - at a cost of less than one half of 1% of the state budget. The state’s small investment brings large returns:

  • KidsCare keeps children healthy and learning in school
  • KidsCare prevents hardworking families from drowning in medical debt and bankruptcies
  • KidsCare helps small businesses fill gaps in health insurance
  • KidsCare brings $87 million in federal funding each year to Arizona’s local economy

As of June 15, 2010, KidsCare will be completely eliminated unless we take action now.  By ending KidsCare, lawmakers are not only risking our children’s health, they are also jeopardizing $7 billion in federal health care dollars.  New federal regulations require that Arizona maintain children’s health insurance.  Unless our leaders take action now our state will suffer a huge cost.

It’s time for Governor Brewer and legislative leaders to restore and fully fund KidsCare. 
It’s time for them to Bring Back KidsCare.

 

UPDATE! - APRIL 29, 2010 - The Arizona Legislature and Governor Brewer approved legislation that restores KidsCare statutory provisions and appropriates $9 million to keep covering the children who are currently enrolled.  This means that children currently enrolled on KidsCare will continue to be covered!

This legislation will strengthen our health care system, our local economy, and the health of thousands of children.  But it also continues the enrollment freeze that has been in place since January 1.  With this freeze, more than 100 uninsured children will continue to be turned away from the health care they need every day. 

As of May 1, AHCCCS reports that 40,484 children have been denied health care coverage under KidsCare.  JLBC projects that with the freeze in place, enrollment in KidsCare will drop to 10,600 by June of 2011.  Read the CAA press release on SB 1043 here.

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Read and share
the facts on why it's
critical that we
Bring Back KidsCare.

  

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Find out how your legislators
voted on KidsCare.

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Send us a quick message
showing your support for
KidsCare - and we'll
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Why is insurance for
children so important?

Research has shows that
children with health insurance:

• have greater access to
health care, particularly
preventative and primary
care

•  are more likely to have
well-child visits and childhood
vaccinations than uninsured
children

•  are less likely to receive
their care in the emergency
room

•  do better in school

 

What do Arizonans think about KidsCare cuts?

"KidsCare is vitally important to all Arizonans.  The health of our children should not be compromised.  They are the future of our economy and the best investment we can make to improve the quality of our lives. We must restore this program."
          - Suzanne Pfister, Phoenix, AZ

"I was a child who spent most my life without healthcare. I became and adult who didn’t have healthcare coverage. Then, I had a baby, and everything changed. My daughter is receiving AHCCCS. Without state coverage, I would've gone bankrupt from medical expenses, ranging from well-checks to diaper rashes to illnesses to surgery! I have been working to remove us from the system, and that's what KidsCare provided. It provided reassurance that my daughter would have healthcare during that 30 to 90 day period of employment before insurance starts. Without KidsCare, I am stuck. I have no hope of becoming independent and making a livable wage."
          - Meagan Smith, Chandler, AZ

"My children 8 and 4 do not have health insurance and because of the budget cuts I can't apply for kidscare, but I also can't afford to buy health insurance on my own. Please do not take kidscare away from those who already have it and BRING IT BACK PLEASE so that other families like mine can apply for it. We really do need it. I strongly believe that childcare shouldn't even be considered in budget cuts. The healthier our children are now the healthier they will grow and in the long run we will be saving costs." 
          - Lizzie Garcia, Nogales, AZ

"As a former recipient of KidsCare I cannot say enough about how important it is to make sure our kids futures are put first. If their health is not taken into consideration first and foremost what does this tell our children about the importance of wellness? Most of our families today are already struggling to find jobs, pay for childcare (also cut), higher rates for gasoline, and a lot of them are losing their houses. What’s next? The kids today are having a hard enough time with cuts in education programs. The children of today are going to be the future in government and what hopes do they have."
          - Suzette Audiss, Tucson, AZ

Supporting Organizations

AAUW Scottsdale
American Heart Association, Pacific Mountain Affiliate
Arizona Association of Community Health Centers
Arizona Asthma Coalition
Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Arizona Council of Human Service Providers
Arizona Hemophilia Association
Arizona Parent-Teacher Association
Association for Supportive Child Care
Child Crisis Center
Children's Action Alliance
Fostering Arts-Mind Education Foundation
Keogh Health Foundation
Mother's Against KidsCare Closure
Mountain Park Health Center
National Association of Social Workers, Arizona Chapter
PAFCO
Parenting-Plus
Prevent Child Abuse Arizona
Pima Community Access Program
Raising Special Kids
Rehoboth Community Development Corporation
SEIU Arizona
Southwest Human Development
United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
Upward Foundation

Contact Amy Kobeta at akobeta@azchildren.org if you would like
to add your organization to the list of supporters.

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Donate to Children's
Action Alliance to
support our efforts
to Bring Back KidsCare.

 

Bring Back KidsCare is a project of Children's Action Alliance (CAA). 
CAA is a non-profit, non-partisan research, education and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting
the well-being of Arizona's children and families. 

Children's Action Alliance
4001 N 3rd St, Suite 160 |  Phoenix  |  AZ  |  85012
(602) 266-0707  |  www.azchildren.org