Checkups, vaccinations, yearly physicals... Going to the doctor regularly may seem normal to many people, however that’s not necessarily the case for an uninsured child. They do not have the same access to checkups and specialists, and certainly not at the same cost.[1]

Health insurance is critical for children as they are more susceptible to the flu, childhood diseases, and the common breaks, bumps, and bruises. Families with lower incomes may not have insurance for their children, but through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) it is available. Through CHIP, children are able to sign up for health insurance at little or no cost. Even with this program in place across the whole United States, there are still a concerning number of children who do not have insurance, because parents do not know enough about the program and are not fully educated on the eligibility requirements.  

So what is the Children's Health Insurance Program? CHIP provides insurance for lower income families that meet a certain set of requirements. These requirements vary by state, but often include a certain income level. The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) was put in place in 2009 to extend CHIP and make it easier to sign children up for healthcare. CHIPRA provided states with more funding so they could enroll more children, and it helps to aid states in coming up with better ways to insure children.[2]   

In 2017 alone, there were about four million children in the United States without insurance.[3] Of those four million, about two million are eligible for CHIP.[4] Insurance is available, yet parents have not signed their children up for it. Why? One would imagine a parent would want their child to be insured. The main reasons children are uninsured are that families do not know their children are even eligible. Frankly, there is not enough exposure to the program, and families do not know where to get the required information.[5]

Essentially, parents do not have enough knowledge on their children’s insurance. While many parents have heard of the program, they have not applied for it. A national survey done by Ketchum, revealed that about forty three percent of parents think their income is too high to be eligible.[6] In reality, the amount a family can make is higher than most think. Moreover, one third of parents, with an uninsured child, do not know where to go to apply.[7] These are just a couple of the reasons keeping parents from getting their children insured. These problems need to be resolved so that children stop missing out on their healthcare.

What next? How can we get families informed and kids insured? There should be some way to get children insured easier and faster.

Solutions can begin before the newborn even leaves the hospital. This may help as it combats children without insurance from the start. With a baby being born every second without insurance, that may not be such a bad idea.[8] When infants are born, the hospital administrators should provide parents with the options available for health insurance. Furthermore, if the infant qualifies for CHIP, then they should be signed up for insurance before the infant leaves the hospital. This way, families would not have to worry about going through the process later.

Sending newborns out into the world with insurance is more of a long term goal, that helps future generations. It may take time to develop, but if this system is created the number of uninsured children should greatly decrease, as help is being brought directly to the parents. One number that may not decrease without further help is that of today’s uninsured population.  

All the kids up to age 18 that do not have insurance today still deserve it. In order to get them insurance, volunteers and social workers need to work with shelters and lower income families. Going in to shelters, spreading the knowledge, and then having a place for parents to sign their children up is one solution. Another is working with lower income schools. They can have parent information nights and bring in volunteer health professionals to meet with each parent. Lastly, lower income communities could have meetings in community centers or homes. Since parents are more likely to sign their child up for insurance if someone is there to help them, these may be good solutions in getting parents informed and children enrolled.[9]

Providing children with health insurance may not be easy, but it is definitely worth it. The  Children's Health Insurance Program will continue for years to come, and through better education and new systems, helping children get insurance should be obtainable. Children deserve to have the care they need to remain both healthy and happy.