Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin: Wisconsin family meets with Sens. Johnson and Baldwin as Senate considers changes to health care bill

Contact: Andy Brodzeller
Office: (414) 266-4797
Cell: (414) 587-6241
abrodeller@chw.org

Washington, D.C. – The Warpinski family, from Denmark, Wis., was in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, July 13, to meet with Wisconsin senators and representatives. As the Senate debates possible changes to health care coverage and Medicaid funding, the Warpinski family told them about the medical care their son Steve received at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and the importance of keeping Medicaid strong for kids.

Steve’s mom and dad, Molly and Matt, learned Steve had five different congenital heart defects when she was 20 weeks pregnant. Medicaid helped the family with the cost of care during Steve’s first year when he needed lifesaving surgery.

Steve had three open-heart surgeries and continues to receive regular treatment through the Herma Heart Center at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.

“Medicaid helped us with a financial burden that would have been debilitating for our family,” says Molly. “That safety net let us focus on what was most important: Steve’s medical care and recovery, and caring for our daughter who was just a year old when Steve was born.”

More of the family’s story can be read on the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin blog.