Rate of Kids Without Health Insurance Hits New Low
The rate of children without health insurance fell from 8% in 2010 to a record low 4% in 2016. This change resulted in 2.6 million more kids picking up health insurance over a six-year span.
Across the country, 45 states reported declining rates of kids without insurance. About half of these states — 23 total — saw dramatic drops of at least 50%.
Despite such big-picture progress — one in which every major economic, racial and ethnic group saw child uninsured rates fall — disparities persist. Poor and low-income kids remain uninsured at a rate that is three times higher (6%) than their more affluent peers (2%), and American Indian and Latino kids still top the most-likely-to-lack-health-insurance list.
Health insurance status is an important measure of child well-being. Medical insurance coverage helps support a child’s healthy development and academic growth. It also helps safeguard families from financial devastation should a child fall seriously or chronically ill. Medicaid, the American Care Act and other state and federal programs have made these improvements possible.
Access health data on the KIDS COUNT Data Center:
