Study: Children Less Likely to Be Infected with COVID-19

Medicaid Enrollment Touches 39% of the Residents of The District of Columbia; DC’s 70/30 FMAP is Vital for the Maintenance of Health & Human Services

A reduction in the District’s FMAP would not lead to long-term government savings and would have a ripple effect throughout the entire health system in the DMV, crippling access to care for not only Medicaid beneficiaries but also all those who live, work, and visit the District of Columbia, including members of Congress and their staffs.

Why does DC receive an Enhanced FMAP Rate?

The DC FMAP rate of 70% established by the Revitalization Act resulted from bipartisan analysis, discussion, and negotiation by Congressional leadership aiming to balance fairness with the District’s restricted ability to generate revenue. Congress recognized that the District of Columbia faces unique financial challenges due to its non-state status and the significant amount of federally-owned land within its boundaries. The District is unable to tax non-residents’ earnings, so these workers pay no taxes to support the infrastructure and services, such as roads, public safety and emergency services that they benefit from in the District. The District is also unable to tax up to 40% of the real property within its borders due to statutory restrictions.

Why are we concerned about DC's FMAP now?

Members of Congress have proposed reducing the DC FMAP to the statutory minimum for all other states, which is currently 50% (but could be reduced even more). Such a change would impact every physician and every practice, regardless of type, location, and payers contracted. Even practices who take no insurance will not be able to send patients for specialist care, hospital admissions, or other types of care.

What can MSDC members do?

If you know a member of Congress or staffer, reach out to them and share how DC cuts will hurt your patients.
Share your relationships and outreach with hay@msdc.org so we can help coordinate advocacy efforts.
Email hay@msdc.org if you would like to be paired with a physician member of Congress office and trained by MSDC staff on how to reach out.

Resources

DC FMAP cut fact sheet
California Medical Association fact sheet on Medicaid cuts
MSDC and healthcare association letter to Congress arguing against DC FMAP changes.
MSDC original story on Medicaid changes.

News, Statements, and Testimony on Health Equity Issues

Study: Children Less Likely to Be Infected with COVID-19

Jun 17, 2020, 08:38 AM by MSDC Staff

A new study from the UK indicated kids and teens are much less likely to get and show symptoms of COVID-19.

A study published by researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine indicate children and teens may be half as likely to contract COVID-19 versus adults.

The study was published Tuesday in Nature Medicine (see here). The researchers surveyed participants in six countries: Canada, China, Italy, Singapore, and South Korea. The findings indicate youths have a reduced likelihood of being infected, and those that are usually are asymptomatic. Among the studied population, only 21% of those between the ages of 10 and 19 that were positive showed symptoms. That is compared to 69% of adults older than age 70. The authors do not confirm, but do reference, a popular theory that children are more immune due to cross-protection from other coronaviruses.

A gap in the study however is the transmission rate between children or between children and adults. As governments decide on how to resume in-person schooling or social activities, there is a large gap in knowledge on how these types of communal activities spread COVID-19. While a lower health impact in children from COVID-19 is encouraging for resuming activities, unknowns about how easily adults can be infected from children in these settings make decisions complicated.