Children's Health Care
Health insurance coverage is key to assuring children's access to appropriate and necessary health care, including preventable services. Over 9 million children under age 19 are uninsured in America. Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (called MC+ in Missouri) have played a fundamental role in reducing the number of uninsured children. Nationally, Medicaid covers more than 25% of all children and the State Children's Health Insurance Program covers an additional 4 million kids. Medicaid and MC+ cover more than 500,000 low-income children in Missouri
Why Children Need Health Insurance:
- Over 20% of uninsured children have at least one unmet health need compared to 6% of insured children.
- That's over 23,000 uninsured Missouri children.
- Uninsured children are over three times more likely not to get a needed prescription drug.
- That's over 150,000 Missouri children.
- Uninsured children are more likely to experience avoidable hospital stays than privately insured children.
- Missouri needs to find a more cost-effective and best-practiced based solution to keep its 150,000 uninsured children healthy.
What Missouri Can Do:
- Protect eligibility for MC+ for the Children's Health Insurance Program and Medicaid.
- Remove administrative barriers to MC+ like improving the affordability test.
- Identify and help to create an environment to see that kids are enrolled in the MC+ program if eligible.
- Improve access to medical care for low-income families and individuals by increasing the participation of medical providers in public insurance programs.
- Set medical assistance for low-income adults at least at the level funded in 2004, 77% of the Federal Poverty Level.
- Promote legislation that will encourage employers to offer health insurance.
- Support funding for community health centers.
- Create and fund Missouri Comprehensive Child Mental Health System.
- Improve Dental Health Care Access for Children.
- Guarantee access to health care for EVERY Missouri child through the new redesigned Medicaid plan.
