Headed home from the meeting of medical school pediatric chairs - many of them also Chief Medical Officers for children’s hospitals. so much at stake for the health of children- all children - ThreadSky

pwhickey.bsky.social • 1 day ago

Headed home from the meeting of medical school pediatric chairs - many of them also Chief Medical Officers for children’s hospitals.

so much at stake for the health of children- all children

Comments

cjdit.bsky.social•21 hours ago

So true. So scary. May you and your colleagues be well and not lose your jobs and all you do for children in medical need.

jacran.bsky.social•21 hours ago

And, at least in MA, kids in foster care are covered by Medicaid. Kids who already don’t have a voice, consistent caregivers or stability, are going to be neglected again… by the govt.

getfitnbelean.bsky.social•21 hours ago

Really admire the bold statement made about the detrimental effects of unconstitutional steps taken by DOGE... Oh. Nevermind. Sniveling craven cowards.

302czar.bsky.social•1 day ago

Vaccines are also an important part of an office's revenue. Revoking approval for them could be a huge factor that keeps a practice from getting out of the red by the end of every year.

pwhickey.bsky.social•1 day ago

TBH while vaccines a big part of WHAT primary care pediatricians do; I’m not so sure that it’s a significant profit center for community based pediatricians once the overhead is factored in. We do it because it’s good practice to protect kids. @tom.medsky.social is better positioned to comment

302czar.bsky.social•1 day ago

I'm the billing manager for a primary care office. We give about 2,500 flu shots a year. They help our bottom line quite a bit.

tom.medsky.social•1 day ago

This is mostly true. The margins on vaccines are narrow, typically from 5-8%. However since pediatrics is already at the bottom for reimbursement that small amount does matter.

shadowtlx.bsky.social•1 day ago

I think vaccines are important for pediatric medicine more because the preventative care of a child has a huge effect on their medical condition later in life.

302czar.bsky.social•1 day ago

Well yeah that too!

jayaisdg.bsky.social•1 day ago

If Americans don't care about gun control so kids don't get murdered in school I doubt they will care about kids dying from lack of insurance and health care.

We will all pay more to get even less.

dorig3.bsky.social•1 day ago

We haven't even begun to see the full effects of these presumed efficiency and "cost savings" cuts. If Musk and trump's mission from Russia was to destroy America's future, they've already done a hell of a job- and they're not done yet. It'll take us decades to recover from just these first 6 weeks.

bluetifulgoblin.bsky.social•1 day ago

Thank you, Dr. Hickey for keeping us informed. Medicaid also pays for IEP related services, as you know, and slashes to Medicaid will further put our most vulnerable students behind and unable to obtain FAPE. I’ve worked in various aspects of medicine, law, and education, and I am horrified.

pwhickey.bsky.social•1 day ago

💯 it’s impact on child health & well being is poorly understood by most people- including many elected officials (see all of the Medicaid / Medicare miscommunications at recent hearings).

pwhickey.bsky.social•1 day ago

It also reimburses less for comparable care of kids versus the same services paid by Medicare for adults ➡️ ⬇️⬇️⬇️ interest in the field of pediatrics among debt laden medical students

bluetifulgoblin.bsky.social•1 day ago

I really wish we were wrong in this. I spend a significant amount of my day educating and advocating on these points. People also don’t understand how CHIP works either. I’ve heard parents whose children are on CHIP plans celebrate that their kids will be fine, but they don’t understand that

bluetifulgoblin.bsky.social•1 day ago

CHIP is under CMMS and receives funding from Medicaid, which only means that their kids will suffer too.

I know you’ve spent a lot of your life taking care of children and their families, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your dedication to bettering our world.

I’m quite frankly

bluetifulgoblin.bsky.social•1 day ago

gutted over how people do not understand the impact of their ignorance. I live in a poor rural GOP area. It’s not good.

sarahdotliz.bsky.social•1 day ago

This is absolutely true. Thanks for elevating this. As a 25-year veteran educator, I can’t even begin to count the number of kids I know who would have been or will be harmed.

bluetifulgoblin.bsky.social•1 day ago

This is a critical issue that is very close to my heart as well. Thank you for your dedication to education, your students, and their families.

As I mentioned to Dr. Hickey, I would like to pen an op-ed to bring this issue to the forefront for the people of my area, but I have no idea where /1

bluetifulgoblin.bsky.social•1 day ago

to begin. As a veteran teacher, what points would resonate the most with you? I would appreciate your feedback incredibly. I think my best shot is to reach the people who will be most impacted.

kareneubanks.bsky.social•20 hours ago

Slashing Medicaid is one of the best ways to force hospitals to close, particularly in rural communities.

UGHHHHHH!

ms-lj.bsky.social•21 hours ago

Yes! All so 1.8% of the population can have DEEP tax cuts

pwhickey.bsky.social•1 day ago

Proposed budget cuts focused on medicaid cuts would directly impact the 37 million children covered by Medicaid (almost half of US kids)

cellmorphosero.bsky.social•16 hours ago

I can't believe we just went through a pandemic and people are still struggling with the concept of "more sick people is bad for everyone".

andyc300.bsky.social•1 day ago

I can't fathom that we have reached the state of being so unwilling to tax stupidly rich people that 37 million kids will lose any affordable health care. Dickensian doesn't begin to cover it.

pwhickey.bsky.social•1 day ago

Me: looking at America

andyc300.bsky.social•1 day ago

I look at my scotch bottles with more and more longing every day.

pwhickey.bsky.social•1 day ago

I learned that around 3 million military connected kids- largely children of veterans who have left the service are dependent on Medicaid. This breaks my heart both at the threat to their healthcare access and the fact that we clearly need to do more to help veterans make this transition

pwhickey.bsky.social•1 day ago

[side note that veterans preference hiring programs are a DEI program. A vitally important DEI program] 👀

pwhickey.bsky.social•1 day ago

And the loss of funding for child healthcare would destabilize an already fragile economic situation for the healthcare system in the US whether it’s your primary care pediatrician or your regional children’s hospitals and subspecialty care.

pwhickey.bsky.social•1 day ago

You have “good insurance” through your job?
Well your pediatrician’s office could fold and the [oncologist, neonatologist, critical care, pediatric surgeon, pulmonologist, infectious diseases, nephrologist, etc] that your child needs may not be there anymore when half their payment base collapses.

midlifeorphan.bsky.social•18 hours ago

Staff at these clinics that sees lots of Medicaid patients need to call their reps, too!

crownvic63.bsky.social•1 day ago

You are totally correct. The consequences of gutting Medicaid will profoundly effect healthcare for everyone.

sockpuppetpundit.bsky.social•1 day ago

This is exactly what has happened to rural hospitals.

pwhickey.bsky.social•22 hours ago

So here’s the deal- want to know the scope of Medicaid & CHIP coverage in your state? Want to spread the word of what this healthcare coverage means to kids and families? The AAP has prepared these state by state fact sheets https://www.aap.org/en/advocacy/childrens-health-care-coverage-fact-sheets/?srsltid=AfmBOoonWq2aN15eY-SVzMKu1iJ-LkdY9r4PnmN6FNOStn81noof1l1r

heythereabbott.bsky.social•1 day ago

Slash-happy budget cuts to Medicaid will have disastrous consequences for hospitals, clinics, ERs, physicians, PAs, nurses, allied health, and patients — it’s an economic ecosystem. The cost for care will increase. #Trump & the #GOP Congress is cutting #Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.

blackcat1970.bsky.social•1 day ago

This! Hospitals and healthcare systems will collapse without Medicare and Medicaid

hansklocker.bsky.social•1 day ago

This is exactly the stuff that keeps me up at night. My youngest had open heart surgery at 6 months for a congenital defect and will need life-long follow-ups. We are "fine" but gutting the system absolutely will catch up to him sooner or later. New treatments and techniques delayed for years.

dhambrick63.bsky.social•1 day ago

Money continues to be moved from incredibly important & cost effective primary care to flashy niche medications & medical devices. Money, & people, follow profits and in America prevention does not pay.

keikiokaaina.bsky.social•1 day ago

Also, what asshole doesn't care about his neighbor's children?

1moreday.bsky.social•7 hours ago

Protect Medicaid!
Healthcare is a human right!
Flip the House Blue ASAP!

Two upcoming special elections in FL-1 & FL-6 on April 1 can create deadlock with 50-50 party split in House. Third special election in NY-21 can Flip the House Blue!

#FlipCongressBlue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4gmgTebHog

dhambrick63.bsky.social•1 day ago

Can confirm.

pwhickey.bsky.social•1 day ago

💪🇺🇸