Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Medicaid covers nearly half of America’s children, but its impact goes far beyond doctor’s visits and hospital stays. James Perrin, MD, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Founder of the MGH Center for Child and Adolescent Health Policy, explains why Medicaid is one of the nation’s most important investments in children, what’s at stake in current policy debates and how a health care system designed to support health — not just treat illness — could improve outcomes for generations to come.
Featuring:
James Perrin, MD, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Host/Producer: Carol Vassar
00:00 Welcome to Well Beyond Medicine
00:36 Why Medicaid Is More Than Health Insurance
02:15 How Medicaid Benefits Future Generations
02:47 Medicaid, CHIP and Expanding Children's Coverage
04:29 Financing vs. Payment: Why It Matters
05:48 Understanding EPSDT and Children's Benefits
09:14 The Biggest Gaps in Children's Access to Care
11:06 How Medicaid Payment Affects Access
14:13 What's at Stake in Current Medicaid Policy Changes
17:59 From Paying for Illness to Paying for Health
19:42 States Leading Medicaid Innovation
20:23 Building a Better Health Care System for Children
22:45 The Long-Term Cost of Underinvesting in Children
24:31 Reasons for Hope in Children's Health Policy
26:45 Final Takeaways
Thanks for listening to Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children’s Health Podcast. How do you go well beyond medicine in your own life or community? How do you celebrate it?
🎙️ Share your story or leave us a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/NemoursWell...
Your message could be featured in a future episode.
🌐 Listen to more episodes and explore the podcast: nemourswellbeyond.org
📩 Sign up for our monthly newsletter for new episodes, stories, and updates: nemourswellbeyond.org/news
Follow Nemours Children’s Health:
Instagram: / nemours
X (Twitter): / nemours
Facebook: / nemours
LinkedIn: / nemours
Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children’s Health Podcast explores children’s health, pediatric care, health equity, mental health, social determinants of health, and health care innovation—from food security and community-based care to meeting families where they are with accessible health and wellness resources. We highlight the people and ideas shaping the future of pediatric health care and building the healthiest generations of children ever.
#WellBeyondMedicine #NemoursChildrensHealth #Pediatrics #ChildrensHealth #HealthEquity #HealthcareInnovation #MentalHealth #socialdeterminantsofhealth
Medicaid covers nearly half of America’s children, but its impact goes far beyond doctor’s visits and hospital stays. James Perrin, MD, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Founder of the MGH Center for Child and Adolescent Health Policy, explains why Medicaid is one of the nation’s most important investments in children, what’s at stake in current policy debates and how a health care system designed to support health — not just treat illness — could improve outcomes for generations to come.
Featuring:
James Perrin, MD, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Host/Producer: Carol Vassar
00:00 Welcome to Well Beyond Medicine
00:36 Why Medicaid Is More Than Health Insurance
02:15 How Medicaid Benefits Future Generations
02:47 Medicaid, CHIP and Expanding Children's Coverage
04:29 Financing vs. Payment: Why It Matters
05:48 Understanding EPSDT and Children's Benefits
09:14 The Biggest Gaps in Children's Access to Care
11:06 How Medicaid Payment Affects Access
14:13 What's at Stake in Current Medicaid Policy Changes
17:59 From Paying for Illness to Paying for Health
19:42 States Leading Medicaid Innovation
20:23 Building a Better Health Care System for Children
22:45 The Long-Term Cost of Underinvesting in Children
24:31 Reasons for Hope in Children's Health Policy
26:45 Final Takeaways
Thanks for listening to Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children’s Health Podcast. How do you go well beyond medicine in your own life or community? How do you celebrate it?
🎙️ Share your story or leave us a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/NemoursWell...
Your message could be featured in a future episode.
🌐 Listen to more episodes and explore the podcast: nemourswellbeyond.org
📩 Sign up for our monthly newsletter for new episodes, stories, and updates: nemourswellbeyond.org/news
Follow Nemours Children’s Health:
Instagram: / nemours
X (Twitter): / nemours
Facebook: / nemours
LinkedIn: / nemours
Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children’s Health Podcast explores children’s health, pediatric care, health equity, mental health, social determinants of health, and health care innovation—from food security and community-based care to meeting families where they are with accessible health and wellness resources. We highlight the people and ideas shaping the future of pediatric health care and building the healthiest generations of children ever.
#WellBeyondMedicine #NemoursChildrensHealth #Pediatrics #ChildrensHealth #HealthEquity #HealthcareInnovation #MentalHealth #socialdeterminantsofhealth
