An estimated 3 out of 5 U.S. children have been enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’’s Health Insurance Program, according to a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health model.
As of 2024, states must provide a year of continuous eligibility for children in Medicaid and CHIP. The microsimulation study confirmed why this matter would be pressing: 2 in 5 children had been uninsured. Only one-quarter of children had continuous private, non-Marketplace coverage.
The microsimulation relied on government data from 2015 through 2019 to capture the post-ACA landscape while avoiding temporary pandemic-era policies.
The researchers highlighted how current policy changes could impact the children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. Children’s hospitals have projected losses in the billions stemming from Medicaid cuts.
“Upcoming changes to Medicaid could affect a significant portion of children and worsen already substantial insurance gaps,” said Nicolas Menzies, PhD, senior author and associate professor.
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