Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Children's Art Project Promotes Health Reform
There are 46 million people who are uninsured in the US, and many of those are children. Elected representatives in the Senate and House of Representatives are discussing the issues of health care and health insurance and have voted to approve measures to increase the number of children covered under State Children’s Health Insurance Programs. Now children are participating in this important discussion through producing an art project to promote health care reform. As a Massachusetts attorney who has a sucessful record of helping families with healthcare issues, Thomas M. Kiley, is concerned about this issue.
According to an article by Kathleen Hom in The Washington Post, almost 400 kids submitted entries with health care and health insurance issues as the subject. Among these art projects are pieces entitled “Healthy Spirits” by Gary Olguin of Lakewood, Colo. — for the “America’s Future Starts With Healthy Children Art Exhibit,” and more than 60 pieces will be on display in Washington.
The project was organized by the Health Rights Organizing Project, a coalition of Health Insurance Program, as well as for more flexible insurance coverage for legal nonprofit community groups pushing for reauthorization of SCHIP, the State Children’s immigrant children and pregnant women.
According to the article, the art project intends to “put a face on an issue that is really dehumanizing,” says Hemi Kim, D.C. director of the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium, one of the community groups involved. The community groups held workshops for children throughout the country explaining the concepts of health care and health insurance issues.
This week, the exhibit will be displayed Jan. 26-28 at Union Station in Washington, DC.
Health insurance coverage for children is important for a number of reasons. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, children who have health insurance generally have better health throughout their childhood and into their teens. They are more likely to:
- Receive needed shots that prevent disease;
- Get treatment for recurring illnesses such as ear infections and asthma;
- Get preventative care to keep them well;
- Get sick less often; and
- Get the treatment they need when they are sick.
Every state in the nation has a health insurance program for infants, children and teens. The insurance is available to children in working families. For little or no cost, this insurance pays for doctors visits, prescription medicines, hospitalizations, and more.
Kids that do not currently have health insurance are likely to be eligible, even if the parents are working. The states have different eligibility rules, but in most states, uninsured children 18 years old and younger, whose families earn up to $34,100 a year (for a family of four) are eligible. To learn more, go to each State’s Program or make a free call to 1-877-KIDS-NOW for more information.
For more than 30 years the Kiley Law Group, located in Andover and Boston, Massachusetts, has fought on behalf of children. Our Boston child injury lawyers take time when speaking with you about your child's injuries. We work with you on a contingency basis, which means there are NO FEES unless our trained personal injury attorneys win your case. Call now for a FREE legal consultation – 1-888-208-1695.
