Wisconsin Public Radio
November 20, 2013
A new report indicates that rates of health coverage for children in Wisconsin have remained largely unchanged, even as neighboring states’ rates have improved.
In Wisconsin, 4.7 percent of children don’t have health coverage. The rate is good compared to other states, especially in the west or south. WCCF research director Jon Peacock, however, thinks that the state can do better.
“Our ranking, which used to be near the top, has dropped to 17th in recent years, as we’ve stayed the same and other states have climbed past us and been more aggressive in outreach,” says Peacock.
WCCF says the Affordable Care Act, which requires everyone to have insurance, could boost the number of kids covered. In a national report, Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF) found coverage is increasing in many states despite high poverty for children and a weak economic recovery.
CCF Executive Director Joan Alker says Gov. Scott Walker’s decision not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act could affect children in the future. “What we found with Wisconsin is that while the country in general is going in the right direction, Wisconsin is stagnating,” says Alker. “I think that should be a red flag.”
According to the Georgetown report, children with health insurance do better in school and their parents are less stressed when they don’t have to worry about unpaid medical bills.
