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Medicaid and indigent care issue brief: state response to children's health insurance programs
Insights
In 1998, 11.1 million children lacked health insurance, impacting access to routine care. Federal funding through the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 now supports state initiatives to expand children's health coverage.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Policy
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- In 1998, approximately 11.1 million children were uninsured.
- Many uninsured children belong to families with working parents lacking employer-sponsored or affordable private health insurance.
- Lack of insurance is linked to reduced routine physician visits, injury care, and consistent healthcare access for children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the growing problem of childhood uninsurance and its societal implications.
- To examine the impact of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 on state efforts to insure children.
- To inform about state initiatives utilizing federal funds to cover low-income children.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of Census Bureau data regarding child insurance status.
- Review of state plans and federal funding mechanisms under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.
- Examination of the relationship between health insurance and healthcare access for children.
Main Results:
- 11.1 million children were uninsured in 1998.
- The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 provides enhanced federal funding for state children's health insurance programs.
- States are actively developing plans to cover low-income, uninsured children using new federal resources.
Conclusions:
- The increasing number of uninsured children poses a significant public health concern.
- Federal legislation, like the Balanced Budget Act, is crucial for enabling states to address childhood uninsurance.
- New federal funding is empowering states to expand health coverage for vulnerable children, improving access to care.
Abstract:
According to recent Census Bureau data, approximately 11.1 million children (people less than 18 years of age) were uninsured in 1998. Many of these children are in families with working parents who either do not receive health care coverage through their employers or cannot afford coverage through private sources. Uninsured children are less likely to visit a physician routinely, get care for injuries or have a regular source of health care. This link between health insurance and access to health care makes the increasing number of uninsured children a serious problem not only for children, but for society as a whole. Most states intend to subsidize children's health insurance with federal funding provided by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. The Balanced Budget Act provides enhanced federal funding to states that create plans to provide coverage to targeted children from low-income families. Uninsured children already were high on state agendas before passage of this law, but now, with new federal funds, many states are taking action to cover their most vulnerable citizens.