The Pediatric Access to Critical Health Care (PATCH) Act would provide $6 billion in dedicated funding over ten years to children's hospitals for investments to bolster national pediatric care capacity. Funding could be used for a broad range of purposes, including:
- expanding pediatric critical health care infrastructure
- maintaining and enhancing pediatric emergency preparedness
- training, development and retention of the pediatric health care workforce
- upgrading digital health infrastructure
The PATCH Act was introduced in the House as H.R. 5131 by Rep. Tony Cárdenas, D-Calif., and fellow Californians representatives Nanette Barragán, Judy Chu, Lucille Roybal-Allard and Barbara Lee. The act was also introduced the Senate as S. 2762 by Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Calif, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.
Please ask your House and Senate members to co-sponsor the PATCH Act.