Mt. Airy Family Fears Healthcare Changes As Daughter Relies On Medicaid: Report

MT. AIRY, PHILADELPHIA – A Mt Airy family is it's story to illuminate to the healthcare debate, as their 2-year-old daughter relies on Medicaid to continue fighting her diagnosis.

The Concilio family in Mt. Airy has shared the story of their daughter, Claire Concilio, and her fight against a neuromuscular disorder called spinal muscular atrophy.

The family spoke to NBC10 about their reliance on Medicaid to keep Claire alive.

"If Claire were to lose Medicaid, we'd lose more than the hope of her ever having a normal life," Amy Concilio, Claire’s mother, told NBC. "We would lose her."

The United States Senate voted Tuesday to move forward with the national healthcare debate.

RELATED: Dramatic Senate Vote Pushes Health Care Reform Effort Forward

Even with the Senate giving the OK to move ahead with the debate, it's not clear what measure the Senators would be considering.

Should the Affordable Care Act be replaced with pending GOP-penned legislation, the Congressional Budget Office reports Medicaid could be dramatically cut back.

“We’re going to fight and we’re going to hope she can walk with a walker or crutches someday,” Concilio told the NBC10. "Thank you, CHOP, and thank you, Medicaid, for saving my daughter. Thank you for giving her a chance, and thank you, Pennsylvania, for not taking that chance away."

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