Your Child's Health/Health Alert



	nsuring America’s children is a top public policy priority for children’s hospitals. Children with a consistent source of health insurance receive routine checkups and stay healthier than children without coverage. That’s why the National Association of Children’s Hospitals, the public policy affiliate of NACHRI, which includes Children’s Medical Center Dallas, advocates strengthening Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for children. Two-thirds of the 8 million uninsured children in the United States are eligible but not yet enrolled in these programs. Introduced 40 years ago, Medicaid insures roughly one out of every four children — making it the country’s largest children’s health coverage program. It provides 22 million lowincome and disabled children with essential healthcare benefits. Children reliant on Medicaid come from working families who do not have access to health insurance through their employers. In 1997, Congress enacted SCHIP. The program allows states to expand Medicaid to uninsured children of low-income families, create alternative insurance programs for them or both. All states now have implemented SCHIP. For family friendly information on Medicaid and SCHIP, visit http://coveringkidsandfamilies.org. Even for privately insured families, Medicaid is important because it plays a critical role in the ability of children’s hospitals to care for all children. Children’s hospitals benefit all children by providing clinical care, training the nation’s pediatricians, conducting pediatric research and advocating public health protections. On average, 40 to 50 percent of children’s hospitals’ revenues comes from Medicaid. Without Medicaid, children’s hospitals cannot fulfill their mission to serve all children. To learn more about the importance of Medicaid and SCHIP to children’s health and children’s hospitals, visit www.childrenshospitals.net or go to www.childrens.com.