Number Of Uninsured Kids Increased In 2017: See NY’s Rate

Efforts at the federal level — including an unsuccessful attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act — have likely contributed to people being unaware of public health insurance options or have deterred them from taking advantage, leading to an increase in the number of uninsured children in the United States for the first time in nearly 10 years, according to a new study from the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute.

The study, which uses newly available data from the United States Census Bureau, found that about 3.9 million children under the age of 19 were uninsured in 2017, a figure that increased by 276,000 since 2016. No state had statistically significant progress on children’s coverage except for the District of Columbia, leading researchers to conclude that “even states with the best intentions were unable to withstand strong national currents to protect children from losing health coverage.”

Nationwide, the study said that the rate of uninsured children increased from a historic low of 4.7 percent in 2016 to 5 percent in 2017. According to the study, 12 states had an uninsured rate that was much higher than the national average and nine states had statistically significant increases in the rate of uninsured children in 2017.

In New York, the rate of uninsured children in 2017 was 2.7 percent, which is lower than the national average of 5 percent.

The study found that three-quarters of the children who lost health insurance in 2017 live in states that have not expanded Medicaid. The uninsured rates in such states expanded at nearly triple the rate than in states where Medicaid has been expanded.

“These national currents include a lengthy and ultimately unsuccessful congressional effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and cap federal Medicaid funding, as well as an unprecedented delay by Congress that allowed CHIP funding to lapse temporarily,” the study says. A majority of uninsured children are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), according to the study.

The study also said that since one quarter of all children in the country who are under the age of 18 have an immigrant parent, policies targeting these communities are likely deterring parents from enrolling their eligible children in federal health insurance programs. The study said the uninsured rate increased significantly among white, black, Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander children in 2017. The uninsured rate among Native American/Alaska Native children was the highest though the group did not see a significant increase in 2017. Additionally, Hispanic children also have high uninsured rates, the study says.

“Despite an improving economy, national political trends reinforced the notion that publicly funded coverage was at risk,” the study says in conclusion.

Researchers warned that the uninsured rate for children will continue to increase and may get worse in 2018.

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