Children and Medicaid: the experience in four states

Medicaid coverage of children is analyzed in this article, using data from uniform Medicaid files (Tape-to-Tape) for California, Georgia, Michigan, and New York. Results show that Medicaid is a different program to children of different enrollment groups and ages. For children receiving cash assistance through either Aid to Families with Dependent Children or Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid represents a source of ongoing health coverage. However, for children in families not receiving cash assistance, coverage is more episodic and disproportionately related to acute care and hospitalization. Across all child enrollment groups, infants had higher than expected utilization and expenditures.