Last week, children’s health advocates from across the country came together in Washington, DC for the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Center for Children and Families Annual Conference. The conference provides an excellent opportunity for national and state advocates to share their experiences and learn from one another, which is especially important in the face of the current federal threats to children’s health care.

This year’s conference theme was “Covering Kids and Families: Playing to Win.” Topics included the current political landscape, the future of the Medicaid and CHIP, value-based purchasing, and using effective messaging and social media to win the fight for children’s health coverage. We heard from experts in the field about the state of play in Washington, the impact of perception, race, and bias on Medicaid, expanding health coverage for immigrant children, and avenues for working together with early childhood and education advocates to protect children’s health.

HCFANY’s Children, Youth, and Families Task Force represented New York consumer advocates at the conference. HCFANY’s Kate Breslin, President and CEO of the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, spoke on a panel that highlighted New York’s child-focused value-based purchasing (VBP) initiatives and opportunities for advocates in other states to engage in VBP for children.