Access to Care for Children in Medicaid

Medicaidʼs Substantial Coverage Role for Children
Medicaid covers more than 23 million children, more than one-quarter of all children, and more than half of low income children.1 Between 1997 and 2006, the proportion of low-income uninsured children fell from to 23 percent to 15 percent;2 success that is largely attributable to the role that Medicaid and CHIP have played in covering uninsured kids.

Medicaid Clearly Improves Access to Services
Research shows that Medicaid improves access to care for the children it covers, especially for preventive and primary care.3 (See  figure 1.) In fact, children with Medicaid and CHIP report access to preventive and primary care at approximately equal levels to their privately insured counterparts. Low-income children covered by Medicaid are also more likely than privately insured or uninsured children to have received well-child care.

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