Of all the good theAffordable Care Act has done in the way of widespread health care, a recent report shows that our children have benefitted more than most. United Press International reports that close to one million children now have health care thanks to the Affordable Care Act. A study conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows that the ACA’s first full year of functioning, in 2014, displayed major strides in health coverage for kids. In 2013, the uninsured number of children was a staggering 5.4 million. By 2014, that number dropped by close to a million as 4.5 million children were uninsured. While that is still quite a high number, the percentage of children now eligible for programs such as CHIP (Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Program) has risen—with 91% of eligible children enrolled in 2014. That’s almost a 3% jump, as 88.7% were enrolled in 2013, with a 7% jump from 2008 (81.7% enrollment).
With regard to eligibility, the important key to achieving health care is information. 60% of uninsured children in 2014 actually were eligible for CHIP. However, their parents may not have been aware of it. With Medicaid expansion in some states, 5% of kids who are eligible still have not enrolled, and 8% of kids were still uninsured in those states that have chosen not to expand Medicaid. The good news is to date, there is over 90% enrollment in Medicaid/CHIP in over half of the states that participate. As 2015 and 2016 figures roll in, we can only hope that uninsured number of children will dramatically change.