Wisconsin Swings and Misses on Health Coverage for the Near-Poor

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker proposed shifting nearly 100,000 low-income people from Medicaid into subsidized private plans through the new health insurance exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act. Governor Walker’s proposal would set the cutoff at the federal poverty line…

Texas rejects health care law’s Medicaid expansion

Texas Governor Rick Perry yesterday announced it will not expand the state’s Medicaid program, as was planned under the health reform law. This is bad news, as many more Texas children would have qualified for care. Texas is also turning…

2.5 million more young adults insured thanks to health reform

The Obama administration announced recently that 2.5 million young adults have gained health insurance since the health reform law went into effect. The administration credits the provision that allows children to stay on their family’s health care plan until…

Emphasizing healthy child development – from birth to adulthood

It is encouraging that more children are now enrolled in health insurance programs.  As health insurance costs have risen and employer-based family coverage declined, the two federal programs designed to provide health services for kids —Medicaid and the Children’s Health…

Utah Medicaid changes could put kids at risk

Today we have more health news from Utah. The state has requested permission from the federal government to change how it delivers Medicaid, which helps around 161,000 Utah children get health care. But the way Utah proposes to save money…

Florida experiment turns Medicaid over to the HMOs

A pilot program in Florida would use HMOs to try to bring down costs for Medicaid, which helps provide health care for many needy children. But health experts there are saying that the only savings being generated are from…

$49 billion: The unpaid tab at the hospital every year

USA Today reports on a study that claims $49 billion in hospital bills go unpaid every year. It shows uninsured families unable to pay their medical bills, including middle class families.

“This report shows that even higher-income uninsured…

The First Lady on the health care law and children

As child advocates celebrate the one year anniversary of the passage of health reform this week, First Lady Michelle Obama shared a special message about child health. Writing about child health topics like body mass index and…

At least five states threatening pull out from Medicaid

Medicaid, together with the Children’s Health Insurance Program, is a vital health support for American children. Millions of children rely on it for affordable, accessible care. We are devoted supporters of Medicaid, and we were instrumental in the reauthorization of…

Health insurance reform update: Child-only plans

We’ve been discussing lately how major insurers have stopped selling new child-only plans.  Families might seek to insure only their children if they can’t afford family plans or can’t cover children on their work plan. But insurers worry…