The future of Medicaid will significantly impact the lives of more than 30 million of America’s children.
The modern Medicaid program and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are partnerships between the federal government and states. Both help protect our most vulnerable citizens – many of whom are children – with innovative programs that deliver quality care to promote healthy lives. Ensuring our nation’s children have access to important health services is critical for their life-long health and well-being.
Consider this:
- 33 million children are covered by Medicaid – that’s 48% of all Medicaid enrollees according to the most recent data
- Medicaid and CHIP combined cover more than 1 in 3 children in the U.S.
- Nearly half (44%) of children with special health care needs are covered by Medicaid, CHIP, and other public health insurance programs
- 9 in 10 low-income parents enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP are either somewhat or very satisfied with the coverage for their children.
- Medicaid is working for children — research has shown that Medicaid eligibility for children correlated to a reduction in the high school drop-out rate, increased college enrollment, and increased the four-year college completion rate
One example of an innovative Medicaid initiative helping to meet the needs of America’s children is HealthySteps – a pediatric primary care program run by ZERO TO THREE, which supports healthy early child development and effective parenting. HealthySteps Specialists, who are child development professionals, work as part of a child’s primary care team, connecting with families during pediatric well visits to help with health screenings and provide support for varied complex issues parents encounter with a baby or young child.
Across the nation, HealthySteps has seen significant success. Rahil Briggs, Child Psychologist at Montefiore Comprehensive Healthcare Center, highlighted the importance of noticing early symptoms that can lead to further health complications in an interview:
“I don’t want to wait until a child has missed five days of school because his anxiety is so bad that he can’t get on the school bus. That to me is a red flag… I want to see the pink flag. And what I mean by that is the first day that he starts to chew on his shirt a little bit, when you say ‘tomorrow is school.’ Just very early, early warning signs of something going wrong.”
We must ensure that the nearly 1 in 3 children covered by Medicaid and CHIP continue to have access to vital health services they need and deserve. This is an investment in America’s future — not a short-term concept.
Join us as we seek to help policymakers understand the value today’s Medicaid program provides to America’s children. Get involved in the Modern Medicaid Alliance by clicking here: https://modernmedicaid.org/get-involved/.