Madison Family Will Lobby Congress On Behalf Of Children’s Hospitals

A Madison family is going to Washington, D.C. next week to lobby Congress to prevent Medicaid cuts.

Across the country, children’s hospitals rely heavily on Medicaid. Cuts to the program are likely to be part of congressional budget negotiations.

Children’s hospitals help sick kids. Now the tables are turned: Hospitals need help and they’re asking patients to come to their aid. Patients from across the country will meet with lawmakers about federal funding.

In Milwaukee, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin gets nearly 50 percent of its revenue from Medicaid. A Madison boy, 10-year-old Antonio Rieder, who received treatment there is going to tell lawmakers how he benefited from a Medicaid program for those with complex medical needs called the Katie Beckett Program.

His mother Stacy Rieder says Children’s Hospital asked if the family would participate with 30 other child patients across the nation in a congressional lobbying effort on pediatric care.

“He got basically a lifesaving transplant, so we’re grateful for everything they did and we are actually very honored to give back in this way by going and representing them in Washington D.C.”

Antonio had a condition where his immune system attacked bone marrow. After two transplants and three months, he went home healthy.

The Family Advocacy Day has been held in Washington for nine years.