NY’s Pediatricians Call on Our State Leaders to Keep Their Promise to Children

Call for High Quality Universal Health Care

ALBANY, NY (06/14/2007)(readMedia)-- The American Academy of Pediatrics calls upon our state leaders to keep their promise to New York’s children and deliver high quality, accessible health coverage to all children starting this year. The AAP’s White Paper on Universal Health Care for Children which is being released today provides a blueprint for the state to move forward to build a “Medical Home” for every child.

The mission of the American Academy of Pediatrics, District II, New York State is to attain optimal physical, mental and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents and young adults. The more than 5,500 pediatricians across the state believe that implementing high quality universal health care that can provide a “Medical Home” for every child in New York is the way to meet our mission.

Over the past six months, the leadership of District II, in partnership with the chairs of the pediatric departments of the academic medical schools in the state, has taken on the task of preparing a detailed proposal to help New York State implement universal children’s health coverage. Building Blocks for a "Medical Home" for Every Child: The American Academy of Pediatrics District II, New York State’s Proposal for Universal Health Care for the Children of New York presents the AAP’s practical approach to designing and implementing high quality universal health care for the children of New York.

“As we move toward universal health care for children,” said Henry Schaeffer, MD, FAAP, Chair of AAP, District II, “it is imperative that our statewide system of public, subsidized and private insurance provide appropriate coverage for the health care needs of newborns, infants, children, adolescents and young adults in a Medical Home. Since children’s health care is directly related to their age and developmental needs, a package of comprehensive benefits focused on age-specific population groups is the only real way to secure quality health care for all children.”

A “Medical Home” is a place where children regularly get their care. It is an office or clinic where children, parents and pediatricians are partners in assuring high quality, effective health care delivery. A “Medical Home” is a place where children go for their well baby, well child visits, immunizations and acute care. A “Medical Home” offers a full service high quality health care engagement providing comprehensive, coordinated, compassionate, culturally competent care for children.

‘When children have a “Medical Home,” said Alan Lubin, Executive Director of the New York State United Teachers, (NYSUT) “they can better focus on their work of learning in the classroom. Our members look forward to working with the members of the Academy to assure that every child has access to the high quality health care they need and deserve.”

Designing and delivering equitable, accessible, high quality universal health care for the 4.8 million children in our state will require additional financial support to secure the preventive, primary, acute, specialty and sub-specialty care that are the core components of a children’s health care system.

In many parts of the state it is difficult for families to access the specialty and sub specialty care they need for their children. Additional resources and a redirection of existing resources are required to reach the stated goal of high quality, universally available health coverage for all children.

“Adequately financing the system of universal health care for children is an equity issue,” said Danielle Laraque, MD, FAAP, Vice Chair of the District. “It costs the same to provide quality health services to children whether the child is from a wealthy, middle class or low income family. The resources must be in place to provide high quality health care to all children.”

There are several principles that we believe must guide New York State’s move toward universal health care for all children. They include:

  • Equity and Fairness, for children and for providers
  • Payment that reflects investments in primary, preventive and office based acute care
  • A health care system that truly can care for the whole child
  • High quality care for every child consistent with best practices and technological advances
  • Accessible services, including specialty and sub-specialty care where and when they are needed
  • Sufficient payments for case management for pediatricians to provide comprehensive care in a Medical Home for children with chronic illnesses

“We believe that New York State should start its move toward universal health care with a targeted effort to cover all children.” said Dan Sisto, CEO of the Health Care Association of New York (HANYS). Our members look forward to the day that every patient has comprehensive universal coverage. Let’s start with the children and get it done.”

“The Medical Society of the State of New York congratulates the American Academy of Pediatrics-District II for the outstanding work it has done in formulating a far-reaching proposal implementing universal health coverage for children. The health of our children represents our highest priority. The Academy’s proposal represents a major step which will move us toward this extremely important goal,” said Robert B. Goldberg, DO, President, Medical Society of the State of New York.

It is time for New York State to design, implement and support a universal health care system that can and does deliver high quality health care to all the children in our state. The basic building blocks are in place. Let’s move forward together to build a “Medical Home” for every child.

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