For Mother’s Day, I’m Thankful for Children’s Health

As a mom, I can’t help thinking what a big help America’s new health care law will be to parents like me around the state in promoting and protecting our children’s health and the strength of our families.

I feel fortunate that through employer-based insurance, my husband and I were able to afford coverage for our now-grown children. But I also know not everyone is so fortunate, and that the recession has made employer-sponsored health insurance less secure and more expensive for a lot of families.

That’s why it’s so important to families facing new challenges and uncertain futures that Pennsylvania leaders focus on getting Affordable Care Act implementation right.

We’re already seeing progress for children and their parents. Starting last fall, parents can keep their children pursuing higher education or starting a career on the family’s health insurance plan through age 26, children can no longer be denied coverage because of conditions like asthma or diabetes, and kids can get free preventive care. These important Affordable Care Act improvements are already making health insurance work better – focusing health care dollars on cost-effective prevention, and catching kids’ small problems early so they don’t grow into big ones.

That should be every parent’s standard for assessing progress in implementing the law: delivering more value for every dollar and delivering quality care that meets our children’s’ needs. Every Pennsylvania child should be able to get the check-ups and preventive care they need to stay healthy and be able to see the doctor when they get sick. And every mom should be able to focus on raising strong and healthy children, knowing that a playground accident or a flu outbreak won’t drive the family deeper into debt.

The Affordable Care Act is already providing confidence for parents facing tough economic times that their children will be able to get the care they need. And if parents stay involved and keep lawmakers’ attention focused on children, Pennsylvania can make the new law an even bigger win for our children – and their moms.

This Mother’s Day, I invite every Pennsylvania mother to join me in thanking the members of our state’s Congressional delegation for their leadership in strengthening health care for kids through the Affordable Care Act. And thanks, too, to state legislators who are fighting to keep kids front-and-center as we implement the law.

They’re giving every mom a better chance to get what she really wants most – healthy kids.

Joan L. Benso is president and CEO, PA Partnerships for Children