An additional 15,000 children and pregnant women grappling with Flint's lead-contaminated water crisis should become eligible for government health insurance starting next week once the funding receives final legislative approval, Gov. Rick Snyder said Monday.
"That's another major step forward," he said of treating those who may have been exposed to the dangerous metal while drinking the city's improperly treated water for at least 18 months. Lead can cause developmental delays and learning disabilities.
Snyder said a state Senate committee on Wednesday is expected to transfer $20.9 million to expand Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program — programs jointly funded between the state and federal government. The Obama administration authorized the waiver two months ago, and a House panel OK'd the move last week.
The Republican governor also said Monday that he has formally asked for a meeting with President Barack Obama when the president visits Flint on Wednesday. He disputed a report that he was too busy to meet with Obama, saying he had said last week that he had a full schedule because he did not want to be the one confirming Obama's trip before it was officially announced by the White House.
Obama is due to receive a briefing on the federal effort to assist in the cleanup and to hear directly from Flint residents about the toll the contamination has had on their health and their lives.
Snyder again urged city residents to run their kitchen and bath faucets for five minutes a day for two weeks to help flush lead particles out of pipes and recoat them with anti-corrosion chemicals. He said the state will cover the additional cost, which is being calculated.
While under state management, the city began using the Flint River for a water source in 2014 to save money but didn't treat the water for corrosion. As a result, lead leached from old pipes for 18 months. Flint switched back to a Detroit-area water system last fall but the lead problem still isn't fully solved.
