(Washington, D.C.) – Georgetown University Center for Children and Families Co-Director Joan Alker issued the following statement in response to the release of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States (2009) report:
“The U.S. Census data released today provide a glimpse of the toll the recession has taken on Americans’ ability to find stable, secure health insurance. The number of uninsured people and people living in poverty hit record levels in 2009. Fifty million people are now reported to be uninsured. The only age groups that did not experience a significant increase in the level of uninsurance were children and seniors.”
“The Census findings show that Medicare, and its companion program Medicaid, were sources of stability for seniors and children during turbulent economic times. By providing affordable coverage options, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program have prevented children from suffering the same fate as many of their parents and other uninsured adults. Working together, these public programs successfully maintained a lifeline to children during the economic downturn.”
“The health and wellbeing of children depends on whether they have access to quality, affordable health coverage, but can also be dramatically affected by the health of their parents. The historic number of uninsured people underscores the need for the successful implementation of the health reform law to stabilize health coverage for parents and other adults. With many families yet to find solid footing after bearing the brunt of the economic crisis, it is critical that leaders continue to maintain access to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program for children as they build a more stable source of health coverage for people of all ages as envisioned in the Affordable Care Act.”
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