Andy Kim

Every child in America would be enrolled in a federal health insurance program at birth and be eligible to receive free benefits through age 26 under a proposal U.S. Sen. Andy Kim just unveiled.

The New Jersey Democrat calls it MediKids, a plan that would automatically place children into Medicaid and give them 100% coverage at a time when millions of kids in the country don’t have healthcare or are under-insured.

Medicaid is the federal health insurance program for low-income and disabled Americans.

“What an incredible step we could take if we could just look every single kid in this country in the eye and say: If you get sick, if you have something that happens, you will get the care you need,” Kim told NJ.com in a phone interview Thursday.

Kim, a member of the Senate health committee, portrayed the bill as a continuation of his “life’s work in politics — making sure those that need care in this country can get it."

He recalled how he first ran for the U.S. House in 2018 after his son was born with “real health concerns.” Kim ran against Republican Rep. Tom MacArthur, who supported President Donald Trump’s efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act — also known as Obamacare. Kim ultimately won.

“The same thing that pushed me to run for Congress is the same thing that pushed me to write this bill is I want to solve this problem. I want to make sure that kids like my child never have to worry about this, that parents with sick kids never have to worry about whether or not their kid can get care,” said Kim, whose son is now 9.

“I’ve become more and more of a believer that this is one of the biggest drivers of anxiety and fear as well as with this affordability crisis concern,” he added.

About 27 million Americans don’t have health insurance and more than 4 million are children, federal statistics show. Also, 1 in 3 children are considered underinsured.

Kim said families could opt out. The program would also be open to the children of undocumented immigrants.

New Jersey’s other U.S. senator, fellow Democrat Cory Booker, is a co-sponsor. So are Democratic Sens. Alex Padilla of California and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois.

Kim said he has not yet spoken to Republicans who lead Congress. It’s possible the bill might not get traction unless Democrats retake control the Senate and House.

This also comes as the U.S. is expected to see a drop in healthcare coverage thanks to steep cuts in the Republican budget law — AKA, the Big Beautiful Bill — that Trump signed last year.

But Kim said he believes giving children healthcare is a bipartisan issue.

“It’s not just about trying to try to reverse things that Trump did,” he said. “It’s about putting forward a real vision for this country and put forth things that can be achieved.”

“If ever there was an issue that I believe can capture the widest net in Congress, but also in this country, it’s about kids.”

The bill is backed by several medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“Medicaid is first and foremost a children’s program that was created with their health needs in mind, helping families receive everything from milestone checkups, to sick care, to immunizations,” said AAP President Andrew Racine. “Pediatricians see first-hand how Medicaid works for the children and families who rely on it — support that should be available to all children, regardless of where they live or where their parents work.”