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Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., is proposing universal healthcare coverage for children at birth, a move that will supercharge the debate among Democrats about what their agenda will look like heading into the midterms and 2028.
Kimâs new MediKids bill would automatically enroll children in Medicaidâs early screening and preventive healthcare programs, affecting the more than 4 million uninsured children in the US. Kidsâ coverage would be available until age 26, and they would be automatically enrolled at birth, though families could opt out.
Kim said the bill is intended as a âjumping-off pointâ for his partyâs debate about big ideas and also a major plank for when Democrats take back power.
âIâm really building towards creating that very tangible, concrete idea of what we would do if we had gavels, what we would do if we had the White House back,â Kim said.
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Democrats spent the last open presidential primary debating the benefits and drawbacks of âMedicare for All.â Kim is taking a different tack.
Kim knows itâs unlikely that President Donald Trump or congressional Republicans would support such a huge expansion of Medicaid spending after the party cut spending as part of its tax cuts law last year. He argued his bill is even more important because of the reduced coverage levels among children as a result of that Republican-only bill.
And the freshman Democrat also sees his proposal as focused on a hugely sympathetic population of the American public.
âWho is going to stand in the way? Who could possibly say that we shouldnât provide healthcare to every child in this country?â Kim told reporters during a briefing about his legislation.
The bill is co-sponsored by Democratic Sens. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Alex Padilla of California. Kim has talked to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumerâs team about it, too, and plans to consult Republicans as well.
Even after pushing a deficit-stretching tax cuts bill, Republicans are still likely to argue that such a plan is too expensive. Kim says that providing children with healthcare will save money long-term, because âhealthier kids means healthier adults.â He also indicated heâs open to providing a funding stream for this kind of expansion of healthcare for kids.
Kim insisted that his bill is not just a messaging exercise. He envisions it as part of a large Democratic package in the future â and an antidote to the question: What are Democrats going to do about Medicaid cuts?
âI would not have done all this work if it was simply for messaging,â Kim said.