On the recordJune 12, 2019
Madam Chair, I could argue that this amendment will actually find administrative savings to cover healthcare costs. Further, it has been my experience that the elders and the grandparents I work with are deeply concerned about the state of their grandchildren and the growing chronic illness, mental health, substance abuse issues, rates of suicide. Furthermore, persistent disparities exist in my district and districts throughout the country where ZIP Code determines your health outcomes. Children in Dorchester are two times more likely to be hospitalized, three times more for asthma, than children in more affluent parts of my district. We should leverage every tool available to us to ensure that all children, regardless of where they live, have access to the health services they need to thrive. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.





