Promoting Child Health Equity Through Medicaid Innovation

Area of Science:

• Health equity research
• Healthcare policy analysis
• Pediatric healthcare disparities

Background:

• Racial and socioeconomic disparities in healthcare quality persist for Black, Latino/a/e, American Indian, and Alaska Native children.
• Medicaid is a crucial insurer for medically underserved populations, holding significant potential for advancing health equity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify structural barriers within the Medicaid program that hinder health equity.
• To propose programmatic innovations and actionable steps for improving socioeconomic and racial health inequities among children covered by Medicaid.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of structural barriers within the Medicaid program.
• Identification of opportunities for programmatic innovation to address social determinants of health.
• Review of strategies for aligning clinical care with health equity principles.

Main Results:

• Opportunities exist for expanding care models that holistically address social determinants of health.
• Aligning clinical care delivery with health equity principles is essential.
• Diversifying the clinical workforce and promoting consistent provider participation in Medicaid are critical areas for improvement.

Conclusions:

• Implementing these steps can begin to dismantle long-standing health inequities.
• Programmatic innovation within Medicaid is vital for achieving national health equity goals for children.
• Practitioners and policymakers can initiate changes today to pave the way for broader reforms.