The state House Health Committee unanimously approved a bill that would extend medical insurance to 30,000 children in need.
Enrollment in Arizona's KidsCare program was frozen in 2010 during the Great Recession, and the number of enrollees dwindled significantly. However, new federal money became available to pay for the entire expansion of Arizona's program.
“We can help so many kids get the treatment they need when they need it, get regular doctor visits, get vaccinations, be healthy in school, be able to learn,” Children’s Action Alliance President Dana Wolfe Naimark said. “We can do all that with the federal tax dollars we already paid.”
Arizona has one of the highest rates of uninsured children in the nation. The bill now moves to the House Appropriations Committee.
