DELAWARE--A new bill known as the 'Cover All Delaware Children Act,' which would ensure all Delaware children are provided with health insurance coverage, is facing some opposition by Republicans.
Rep. Krista Griffith and Sen. Sarah McBride sponsor House Bill 317, which would direct the Department of Health & Social Services to develop and operate a medical coverage program for children in Delaware who are not otherwise covered, including kids who are undocumented.
“Many of us take health insurance and its lifesaving benefits for granted, but for thousands of Delaware children, there is no viable option for them to get covered," said Rep. Griffith in a statement. "A simple trip to the doctor for an illness or to get vaccinated is not a financially viable option."
Rep. Griffith said as a mother of two kids, she knows first-hand how important preventive and routine medical care is for children; and how dangerous it can be to leave medical conditions undetected.
However, on Thursday Sen. Colin Bonini issued a statement saying, "although the intention of HB 317 is admirable, I disagree with directing taxpayer funds to those who are here illegally," he said. "This, in turn, would logically incentivize illegal immigration into our state and nation."
Rep. Griffith said initial cost estimates are between $3 to $5 million.
According to Delaware leaders, there are approximately 5,000 children who are undocumented in the First State, and many of them have parents who earn low wages and do not benefit from employer-based health insurance.
Children who are undocumented immigrants are not allowed to enroll in federally-funded health coverage programs like Medicaid and CHIP, and they can’t purchase health coverage through the state exchanges provided by the Affordable Care Act.
“As a state of neighbors, Delawareans always rally together to provide live-saving assistance during a crisis, whether it’s the COVID-19 pandemic, the devastating storms that have ravaged our state in recent years, or the fire that recently destroyed an apartment building in Laurel,” said Sen. McBride, chair of the Senate Health & Social Services Committee, in a statement.
Sen. Bonini however, said he looks forward to "exploring other options that would achieve the desired outcome without placing such a burden on Delawareans’ wallets and further incentivizing illegal immigration.”
HB 317 was assigned to the House Health & Human Development Committee to be reviewed sometime in March, and if passed, the measure would take effect beginning Jan. 1, 2023.
So far, eight states (California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington) and Washington D.C., currently provide health coverage to children who are undocumented.