U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor was responding to a study that shows fewer Florida children are being covered by health insurance.

TAMPA – After the release of a Georgetown University Center for Children and Families report showing a rise in the number of uninsured children in Florida, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, released this statement calling for action to stem the tide of this trend:

“The progress our nation has made in covering our children is at risk. The rate of uninsured children in Florida is unfortunately on the rise due to actions by the Trump Administration and Republican policymakers in Florida and the U.S. Congress. Many of their actions have contributed to the jump in the number of uninsured children in the state from 288,000 in 2016 to 325,000 last year, a 13 percent rise.

“Florida children and families are in worse shape than most because Florida has refused to expand Medicaid while most other states have done so. I will not rest until Florida joins the rest of the country, expands Medicaid to serve Floridians, and brings our federal tax dollars home. Florida will never reach its full potential unless children and families are valued and policymakers act to ensure everyone has access to affordable health coverage.”

Castor serves as vice ranking member of the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee, which has oversight of health policy. She helped write and pass the Affordable Care Act and has pressed for even more expanded, quality health care coverage in her state and across the nation, and has fought to protect individuals with preexisting health conditions, Medicaid funding and Medicare for seniors. Castor said she has pressed for years for Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature to expand Medicaid in Florida, which would provide health coverage for approximately 800,000 additional Floridians.

Castor represents Florida’s 14th Congressional District, which includes Tampa.

For information about Castor, go to castor.house.gov.

You can read the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families report here.

Kathy Castor | Health Care | Health Insurance | Tampabay News

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