Pennsauken, NJ. – Today, as Republicans are leading the country into a government shutdown while ignoring Democrats attempts to lower healthcare costs, Senator Kim traveled to Pennsauken to visit patients and administrators at Weisman Children’s Hospital where the overwhelming majority of their patients rely on programs like Medicaid to afford healthcare for their families.

“Talk of a potential shutdown may be focused in Washington, but as we saw today, Republican health care hikes and policies are going to hurt a lot of people here in New Jersey,” said Senator Andy Kim. “We owe New Jersey families better, and I’m going to fight for those families I met with today to make sure we not only keep the government open, but that it works to make life better and more affordable for them.” 

“Under the new plan, families on Medicaid who already face coverage gaps (which can last up to weeks or months) will have to complete a redetermination process every six months. These potential losses of Medicaid coverage could create uninsured reimbursement challenges for all providers of Medicaid services, while our patient’s healthcare needs persist,” said Mike Rosiak, COO, Weisman Children’s Hospital. “Children on Medicaid already face barriers to care in South Jersey, and I dread to think what will happen if they lose coverage. Their needs won’t disappear, but their insurance will.”  

A hospital that provides both in-patient and out-patient treatment for children and young adults up to 21 years of age, Weisman Children’s Hospital is only one of many facilities across New Jersey that continue to be impacted by Republicans’ choices to cut programs and funding in lieu of higher tax-breaks for billionaires. One in three kids and one in seven adults between the ages of 19 and 64 are covered by Medicaid in New Jersey, and yet Republicans in Congress voted to pass a budget that slashes $930 billion from the program. These cuts impact 300,000 people with a disability in New Jersey and 60% of nursing home residents who utilize Medicaid for their care. 

In contrast, Senator Kim has been fighting to protect healthcare for children and families amidst the chaos of the Republican cuts. Ahead of the One Big Beautiful Bill passage, Senator Kim pushed to reverse higher health insurance costs for working families by removing provisions that would increase the health insurance premiums or out-of-pocket costs under Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or private insurance marketplaces established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for middle class individuals or families. He has pushed to prevent an increase of the number of uninsured children in the country and worked to prevent hospital closures by trying to limit provisions that would force the closure of hospitals or otherwise reduce access to affordable healthcare. 

Before being elected to the U.S. Senate, Kim represented New Jersey’s Third Congressional District in the U.S. House and was a career public servant working in national security and diplomacy at the White House, State Department, and Pentagon. Learn more about Senator Kim’s service on behalf of New Jersey here.    

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