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Mar 5, 2007 6:37 pm US/Eastern
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Politicians, Parents Fight To Save Mass. Health
by Dr. Mallika Marshall
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
A program that provides medical coverage for children here in Massachusetts could be in jeopardy. Dr. Mallika Marshall is here now with the latest on the fight to save it.
Imagine having a sick child and not being able to pay for his or her medical care because you don't have insurance. That's what local families say will happen to them, if a state program loses its federal funding.
"I swore I would do everything I could."
Dedra Lewis tearfully describes how her 9-year-old daughter, Alexsiana was losing her vision due to a condition called uveitis and needed constant medical care. "I knew it was gonna be hard. She had to swallow more pills than she could count," said Lewis.
Dedra eventually had to cut back on her hours at work to care for Alexsiana, so she lost her health insurance.
That's when she signed up for Mass Health. It provides low-cost health coverage to all children, whose parent's can't afford or don't get health benefits from their jobs. But some of the federal funding for Mass Health may not be renewed, jeopardizing the program.
"If I didn't have Mass Health, my daughter would be blind, I think of the, other children out there," said Dedra. "We are at the mercy of politicians."
Massachusetts Senators John Kerry and Ted Kennedy are vowing to lead the fight for that funding. "It's good enough for the members of congress," said Kennedy. "And the president who can't find the resources to fund this program -- this is a battle I look forward to."
Advocates have also released a new poll which found that 90 percent of Massachusetts voters say they support health care coverage for all uninsured children.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)