23 States Move Forward in Child Health Coverage
Sep 17th, 2009
23 States Move Forward in Child Health Coverage
Twenty-three states expanded or improved children’s health coverage programs this year despite a tough economic climate, according to a new report by the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University
The report, Weathering the Storm: States Moving Forward Despite Tough Economic Climate, finds that an overwhelming majority of states have taken advantage of the passage of the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act and other federal support to maintain or strengthen their efforts to cover more children. Despite an extremely challenging budget climate, nearly all states have “weathered the storm” when it comes to coverage of children, according to the report.
In 2009, twenty-three states took steps to continue moving forward by expanding eligibility for their Medicaid or CHIP programs or made it easier for uninsured children already eligible to enroll and stay enrolled in the programs. The states moving forward on children’s coverage include: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The report also concludes that coverage for children and their families is at a critical juncture as states face ongoing budget pressures and the prospect that national health reform will dramatically alter the coverage landscape for children and families.
While the U.S. Census data released last week paint an encouraging picture for uninsured children, the numbers are much more bleak for parents and other uninsured adults. According to the Census, the number of uninsured children declined to 7.3 million in 2008, the lowest number since 1987. Meanwhile, the number of uninsured adults increased by 1.5 million to 38 million.
The report, Weathering the Storm: States Moving Forward Despite Tough Economic Climate, finds that an overwhelming majority of states have taken advantage of the passage of the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act and other federal support to maintain or strengthen their efforts to cover more children. Despite an extremely challenging budget climate, nearly all states have “weathered the storm” when it comes to coverage of children, according to the report.
In 2009, twenty-three states took steps to continue moving forward by expanding eligibility for their Medicaid or CHIP programs or made it easier for uninsured children already eligible to enroll and stay enrolled in the programs. The states moving forward on children’s coverage include: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The report also concludes that coverage for children and their families is at a critical juncture as states face ongoing budget pressures and the prospect that national health reform will dramatically alter the coverage landscape for children and families.
While the U.S. Census data released last week paint an encouraging picture for uninsured children, the numbers are much more bleak for parents and other uninsured adults. According to the Census, the number of uninsured children declined to 7.3 million in 2008, the lowest number since 1987. Meanwhile, the number of uninsured adults increased by 1.5 million to 38 million.
Read the Kentucky Voices for Health 2008 policy brief, Better Health Coverage for Children: Small Changes Mean Big Improvement, here.
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