Posts for Children's Health Initiative
Building an Equitable Future for Children and Families: Key Policy Opportunities to Support Children’s Health and Well-Being
Congress must act now to make ARPA’s forward-minded solutions permanent and substantially decrease racial, social, and economic inequities.
The Moment is Now: Congress Must Take Steps to Address the Black Maternal Health Crisis
In collaboration with various organizations, this blog explains a new letter released by 200+ groups urging Congress to address the maternal health crisis in our country.
Larger ACA Premium Subsidies Are Covering Millions More: Here’s How Congress Can Make Them Permanent
Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, more than 2 million people have signed up for ACA Coverage or Medicaid. Unfortunately, these changes expire in two years.
Sens. Warnock, Ossoff & Baldwin Want to Close the Medicaid Gap, Congress Must Act
This week Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock released a legislative proposal with senators Ossoff and Baldwin to close the Medicaid coverage gap in states that have yet to adopt Medicaid expansion.
Tax Credits: Important Pieces of the Recovery Puzzle
The Child Tax Credit, alongside enhanced Advance Premium Tax Credits, is a critical piece in the puzzle of affordable childcare and healthcare for all Americans.
Study after Study with the Same Results: Medicaid Expansion Is Good for States
Each week it seems like there is a new study that shows the benefits of expanding Medicaid – for both health and state budgets.
Possibilities On the Horizon: State Pathways to Health Care for Undocumented Communities
As we continue to wait and see what may happen on the federal level with legislative proposals such as the HEAL Act, states have stepped in to provide immigrant residents access to care.
2021 Black Maternal Health Week: New Opportunities to Take Action!
This week (April 11-17) marks Black Maternal Health Week, an annual event dedicated to highlighting the alarming statistics around Black maternal health and calling for policies that center birth and reproductive justice.
The American Rescue Plan: A Prescription for Child Health and Stability During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Last week the House voted to advance the American Rescue Plan Act sending the COVID-19 Relief package to the Senate. The $1.9 trillion relief package contains policies that seek to address the economic stability and health of people and communities,...
On the Road for Expanding Medicaid Services in Schools
As students of all ages settle into their classes, Community Catalyst staff have been traveling across the country talking about Medicaid in K-12 schools.
The Health Care Repeal Lawsuit: Texas v. U.S. Harms Children & Families
The Health Care Repeal Lawsuit is an effort to take away health insurance coverage and consumer protections from millions of Americans. If the Texas coalition succeeds, the outcome would be devastating to children and their families.
New Guidance Encourages States to Better Address Children and Youth’s Access to Mental and Behavioral Health Services
Despite challenges, there are opportunities to improve the health and well-being of young people.
Improving Care for Kids: Engage Now to Influence State Proposals
Consumer advocates working to address health inequity and expand access to youth mental health and substance use services should get involved now to ensure their state’s project includes those elements.
Schools Health Gains Momentum….One SPA at a Time
In 2014, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a state Medicaid director letter that gives states the ability to allow local education agencies (LEAs) to expand their school-based Medicaid programs
North Carolina Secures School-Based Medicaid Services to Keep Kids Healthy and In the Classroom
In February, North Carolina received CMS approval to expand Medicaid school-based services, creating a new opportunity to support both school based providers like Nurse Smith and expand health services.
Building Blocks for Change: Focusing on Trauma and Children’s Mental Health in 2019
In 2018, Community Catalyst created our Top Five Health Equity Priorities for Kids to provide a blueprint for targeted advocacy. This blueprint focused on safeguarding health care access, pursuing innovation models that address the needs of the whole family and...
A Step Forward to Address the Mental and Behavioral Health Needs of Children and Families in Turbulent Times
We are in the midst of chaotic times: from dramatic increases in drug overdose deaths to school shootings to contentious public discussions of sexual assault. Although we are sometimes able to shield our children from witnessing or experiencing traumatic events,...
Infant Mortality: Transforming Awareness Into Action
Infant mortality awareness month is coming to a close, but the work to protect infants and their families must continue. As many are acutely aware, infant mortality is an ongoing crisis in this country and disproportionately affects Black families. The...
Integrating Care for Kids: A New Model and a Promising Opportunity
This is the first of two blogs on Integrated Care for Kids (InCK). Stay tuned for our upcoming blog on leveraging InCK for substance use prevention.
Back-to-School Checklist: Pencil, Notebooks, Backpack... Health Insurance?
Some children will show up nervous, some will show up excited and others will show up disappointed that summer is over. But, to us, the most important question is, will they show up insured?
Joining Forces for Health Justice in East Nashville
Through our Partnering for Community Health project, we are collaborating to identify ways to support the health and well-being of children, families and seniors living in the James A. Cayce Homes, a low-income housing development.
Ready, Set, Learn: Ensuring Children Are School Ready
Children do not leave their health care needs at the school’s front door: those health care needs and children’s access to services impact their educational outcomes and long-term health.
As Fatherhood Changes, So Must Pediatrics
Pediatric offices traditionally focused on women as primary caregivers must adjust their approach to support men as more involved and active parents.
Taking a Page from Maine’s Medicaid Playbook
The smart and consistent strategies employed by Maine advocates helped secure health care gains for thousands.
We Must Continue to Act to Address Gun Violence and Its Impact on Kids
Once again, our children have been confronted with another horrific, deadly school shooting.
Rule Threatens Coverage of Critical Women’s Health Services
Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA), only 12 percent of individual health insurance plans covered maternity care.
Bipartisan Opioid Bill Supports Trauma-Informed Approach for Children and Families
In recent good news, the opioid bill that is garnering wide bipartisan support has multiple provisions that address childhood trauma and provide support for impacted children and families. Last week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee unanimously...
Medicaid Protects America's Children
This blog is part of our Medicaid Awareness Month series, in which we highlight the ways that Medicaid supports the health of vulnerable populations. Guest bloggers for the series are state advocates.
Happy 8th Birthday, ACA: Celebrating the ACA’s Important Role in Improving Health Equity
Eight years ago today, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law of the land, and this year’s birthday is truly one to celebrate.
It Is Time To Get REL!
Connecticut advocates push for improved racial, ethnic and language data While the federal landscape continues to hold our attention as threats to public health and coverage programs continue to surface and evolve, state-level advocates are busy advancing agendas that inform...
As Health Advocates, How Can We Respond to Horrific Events?
Right now, we all need to be focused on both healing and action.
Work Requirements for Medicaid Would Deepen Disparities in North Carolina’s Infant and Maternal Health
The Trump Administration’s recent guidelines endorsing work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries could entrench existing barriers to successful pregnancies.
Medicaid Work Requirements Will Undermine the Well-Being of Children and Their Families
By imposing work requirements, the Trump Administration is giving states a tool that could undermine the well-being of children and families.
“Public Charge” Would Create a Public Health Crisis for Immigrant Families
The most likely effect of the revised rule is that it will scare immigrants away from using benefits they are legally eligible to utilize, hurting children and families.
CHIP Is Finally Funded. What Now?
What did Congress leave on the table?
What’s the Hold Up? Congress Must Fully Fund CHIP Now
Despite urgent pleas from governors, providers and families, Congress has yet to deliver long-term funding for this vital program.
CDC Report Highlights Stark Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Infant Mortality
In the first week of the New Year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report on infant mortality, and the news is not good.
Senator-Elect Doug Jones Calls on Senate to Pass CHIP Funding
This blog originally appeared on the Georgetown Center for Children and Families' blog Say Ahhh!, you can view it here. Alabama voters are accustomed to the hot glare of national media attention, but not the warm glow. Doug Jones’ stunning...
Massachusetts: State Plan Amendment Paves the Way for Medicaid in Schools
Earlier this year, Centers on Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) gave Massachusetts the green light to amend their Medicaid state plan, opening the door for schools to bill Medicaid health services provided to all their Medicaid-enrolled students, not just those receiving...
CHIP: One Step Forward, Three Steps Back.
On Friday, CHIP refunding moved forward, ending Halloween week with a trick not a treat.
Goblins and Zombies Aren’t As Scary As Kids Losing Coverage
As we are passing out sweets to all the cute ghosts and dinosaurs, we should be concerned that families are wondering whether the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will be available to their children in the coming months and years.
Moving Forward on CHIP: Congress Should Clear the Way for a Bipartisan Approach
Yesterday was a busy day for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Zombie Graham-Cassidy Bill Detracts from Bipartisan Efforts to Support Children’s Health
While Senators Hatch (R-UT) and Wyden (D-OR) are working on bipartisan solutions that support children’s access to health insurance, Senators Graham (R-SC) and Cassidy (R-LA) are throwing their energy into bringing Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal back from the dead....
New Research Confirms Coverage For Parents Has Rolled Out “Welcome Mat” to Enrollment For Their Kids
New research confirms what we’ve known all along – the Affordable Care Act (ACA) improves the lives of families. According to a recent Health Affairs analysis, over 700,000 children who were eligible for Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)...
Congress’s Summer Break Is Over and the Homework List Is Long
It is back-to-work time for members of Congress, as they return to DC and turn their attention to a lengthy to-do list that includes critical items related to the budget and health care.
Handle with Care: Back to School Amidst Charlottesville
For many families across the country, August is the month of “back to school.” For us in the health advocacy world, it is commonly the month that we focus on health care program enrollment.
What's Next? Advocates Now Turn to CHIP Refunding
The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) celebrated its 20th birthday. Enacted with bipartisan support, CHIP provides coverage to children and pregnant women whose families have incomes above Medicaid eligibility.
The BCRA’s Capped Medicaid Funding Would Heighten States’ Budgeting Woes for Decades
CBO found that the proposed legislation would cut $772 billion from Medicaid – slashing its funding by 26 percent in 2026, compared to current projected funding.
Structural Racism and Maternal and Child Health
Now is the time when we have to eliminate the racist narrative of the “welfare queen.”
You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet: What’s Lurking Beyond the Horizon of the CBO Score
By now, you’ve already seen the key takeaways from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score of the Senate repeal bill. But what you might not know is that the CBO score hides the most devastating of the Senate bill’s effects.
When Health Policy Advocacy Doesn’t See Color, It Doesn’t See Me
his blog is part of a series that will highlight how structural racism in the health care system negatively affects the health of individuals of color.
Rolling Back Progress: Medicaid Cuts Would Deny Children of Color Access to Care
The AHCA, as passed by the House of Representatives and sent on to the Senate, would reverse the progress on children’s coverage that has been made through the ACA.
Trump Budget Attacks Low-Income Communities, State Budgets, Children
Despite his repeated promises on the campaign trail that he would not cut Medicaid, President Trump’s FY 2018 budget would slash the program’s budget nearly in half over the next decade. The budget assumes the $839 billion in Medicaid cuts...
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS): MA Taskforce Report Offers Path to Advancing Parent and Infant Health
The rise in opioid misuse has continued to receive attention across the country, and only more urgently in recent months as Republicans continue to press forward toward a repeal of the ACA with a disastrous replacement bill
The American Health Care Act is a Barrier to Good Health for Moms and Families
As Mother’s Day approaches, children in communities across the country are busy constructing cards and coupons entitled “free hugs” and “will do dishes” while partners place orders for flowers (or mulch – depending how you roll).
Social Determinants and Sun Drop in Small Town North Carolina
In step with this broader understanding of how social determinants influence health equity, Community Catalyst’s Children’s Health Initiative recently launched a new project, Partnering for Community Health.
GOP Repeal Bill Goes from Awful to Worse in Harming Kids
In the middle of the night, in an effort to save their flawed health care bill, Republicans released a number of amendments to the American Health Care Act (AHCA) that would dramatically impact the ability of low-income children, including millions...
Top 5 Reasons the House GOP Bill to Repeal the ACA is Bad for Children and Families
The GOP Health Care Repeal Bill will negatively impact millions, but low-income kids, working families and communities of color will be hit particularly hard.
Call to Action: Creating Cycles of Opportunity Through ACEs Screening
Amidst the noise of the national political landscape, it is important to remind ourselves that February is Black History Month. While this month serves to celebrate the accomplishments of black people in America, it is also a reminder of how...
Why We Love CHIP – Because It’s Much More Than Coverage
One of the most shameful failures of our public safety net system is when structural harm goes unaddressed. The lead crisis in Flint, Michigan remains a painful reminder of when blind commitment to cost savings results in irreversible harm for...
Beware of Block Grants: Along With ACA Defense, We Need to Protect Medicaid Too
Kellyanne Conway signaled the new administration’s desire to convert funding for the Medicaid program to block grants to states, with the assertion that doing so would mean "those closest to the people in need will be administering the program."
Double Jeopardy for Children with Disabilities
As we face a future that could hold the repeal of the ACA and the emergence of a Department of Education that does not stand up for the civil rights of children with disabilities, I am acutely aware of the lose-lose situation for kids and their families.
Medicaid Innovation Would Flatline Under Block Grants and Per Capita Caps
[Medicaid] has meant many more kids, grandparents and people with chronic health conditions have been able to get the care they need
Repealing the ACA Puts Children at Risk
Just before the end of December, when people were shutting off their news feeds and setting up their out-of-office emails, advocates in Arizona held a press event to highlight the devastating impact the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)...
For More than 73 Million People, It Is Critical that We Protect Medicaid and CHIP
73 million. 73 million. This is the number of people who rely on Medicaid for their health coverage - and almost half of them are children. It’s the number that stands out on the screen as we read Kaiser Health...
New England Leads Trends For Growth In Children’s Health Coverage
Coverage success for children did not happen overnight and is not static. As we enter the next open enrollment period, we are reminded that coverage and maintaining coverage is ongoing and requires year-round support.
States’ Role in Preventing Churn: The Good and the Bad
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 20 million people have gained health insurance coverage, creating a pathway to better health. However, holding on to that coverage is not always easy and barriers remain for many consumers. Even with the...
CMS Provides Arizona Families with a ‘Waiver’ of Relief
On Friday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced some good news for Arizona’s children and families.
Connecticut’s Summer Slog
Transitioning between Medicaid and Marketplace coverage can create health care potholes for consumers, placing them in harm’s way. Transitioning coverage can be further complicated by challenges with health literacy and health insurance literacy
Massachusetts Takes Important Step To Protect Infants Amid Opioid Crisis
As states across the country look for ways to combat the ongoing opioid crisis, one overlooked issue is how we address the impact of this crisis on our communities’ youngest.
A Nurse in EVERY School
While school nurses have long been recognized for their vital role in supporting children’s educational success through better health, there is increasing recognition that school nurses are integral to reforming our health care delivery system. School nurses are the eyes...
Health and Housing: The Benefits and Pitfalls of Partnerships
We know that as the energy in the health care world turns to reinventing health care delivery systems, social and economic determinants of health and the role they play in community health are front and center. Studies have uniformly shown...
Best Practices in Ensuring Health Coverage for All Children
Earlier this month, Florida joined 29 other states that offer Medicaid and CHIP coverage to children and pregnant women who legally reside in this country under five years. We, in Ohio, celebrate this monumental step with our friends in Florida....
U.S. Task Force Recognizes Critical Need to Address Maternal Depression
In late January, the United States Preventive Services Task Force released its final recommendation statement for adult depression screening.
Medicaid is Growing Up. It’s Time to Go to School.
Thanks to a clarification by CMS regarding the “free care” rule a little over a year ago, schools can be reimbursed for services provided to Medicaid-eligible students. This was a subject of a conference call and toolkit released earlier this...
Arizona Kids are Falling Through the Cracks Without Active KidsCare Program
by Joe Fu, Children’s Action Alliance For the fifth year in a row, Arizona had the third highest child uninsured rate in the nation. In 2014, 10% of Arizona’s children were uninsured compared to about 6% nationally, according to a new...
Children in Foster Care Need More Holistic Health Care
Over the last few years, states have witnessed widespread failings within agencies charged with overseeing the well-being of children in foster care.
Policy Prescriptions for Federal Child Nutrition Programs to Improve Child Health
Children need healthy food to learn, grow and thrive. Unfortunately, our researchers and pediatricians at Children’s HealthWatch encounter families every day struggling to afford enough food for all family members – a condition known as food insecurity.
We can reduce health disparities and ensure that ALL children have health coverage
Ensuring that families of all ethnic backgrounds access the health care they need to be healthy is one of the most important things we can do for our nation’s children.
Celebrating the Golden Anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid – Looking Ahead to the Next 50 Years
Fifty years ago today, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the landmark amendments to the Social Security Act that created the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Medicaid: A Win for Families and our Future
At Voices for Virginia’s Children, we are reflecting on Medicaid’s 50th anniversary and what the program has meant to generations of children and families here in Virginia.
Medicaid reform – A Tale of Two States
Medicaid provides health and financial security for millions of low-income, working Americans. Despite the fact that Medicaid is as efficient as (or even more efficient than) private insurance, it is often a target of state budget cuts.
There Is No Time like the Present to Talk about EHB Benchmarks!
Yes, you heard it right – it’s time to do essential health benefits selection…again.
VITA Volunteering: A First-Hand Glimpse Into the Intersection of the ACA and Taxes
This year my tax season did not start and end, as it typically does, with the latest Turbo Tax software and single W-2 form. Instead the season began a lot earlier and revolved around a trio of brand new Affordable Care Act tax forms.
The ACA Is About People, Not Politics
Over the past five years, we have watched the Affordable Care Act go from a hotly contested piece of legislation to a hotly contested law that, despite non-stop efforts to undermine it, has given millions of American’s access to health care.
Insurance coverage for parents and kids creates long-term success and health
The Institute for Research on Poverty released a new study that provides further confirmation that Medicaid and CHIP contribute to the long-term health and success of children
CHIP Success: Where Do We Go From Here?
Yesterday, we alerted our partners to the great news that the Senate had passed H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA).
Continuing a Legacy of Children’s Coverage
The Senate must act quickly next week to extend CHIP and protect the coverage of 8 million children.
An Open Letter: Dear Governor, Protect Coverage
As you continue budget conversations with your state legislature, state consumer health advocates urge you to protect health insurance coverage programs that help consumers achieve financial stability and good health.
Happy Fifth Birthday, ACA!
The passage of the ACA was a monumental achievement for individuals and organizations across the country. We continue to be incredibly proud of all our state partners who have worked tirelessly to implement the law.
It’s time to start talking about Essential Health Benefit benchmark plans!
It seems like a distant memory when states had to choose their Essential Health Benefit (EHB) benchmark plans. However this process will repeat itself, as states have the option to pick new benchmark plans for the 2017 plan year based on a 2014 plan.
Moving CHIP Forward: Discussion Draft Demands Response
Yesterday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hatch (R-UT), House E&C Chairman Upton (R-MI), and Representative Pitts (R-PA) released a discussion draft that outlines their vision for the future of CHIP.
Telling the consumer assistance story: Evaluation of outreach and enrollment efforts
Health Care for All is strongly committed to outreach efforts across the state. As outreach workers, we often hear the question: “What strategy or activity is the most effective in enrolling folks in coverage?” The answer is: everything, all the time.
It’s a new year, so let’s renew our commitment to CHIP
With 2015 and the 114th Congress underway, it is time to get thinking seriously about the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP serves about 8 million kids nationally.
Health Insurance Never Sounded So Good!
The holiday season brings many traditions to look forward to, such as spending time with family and exchanging gifts. There are also some less-favored traditions, though, such as the deluge of holiday-themed advertisements.
The Smart Shopper's Guide to Medicaid Managed Care Plans
In this season of giving, Community Catalyst has teamed up with the Kaiser Family Foundation to create an online tool that gathers in one place, for the first time, key data on the records of these companies.
Thanksgiving Reflections: Open Enrollment and Children's Health
As consumer health advocates celebrated Thanksgiving last week, we had much to be thankful for. As we ate our turkey, we were thankful not only for friends, family and good health, but also for millions of Americans enrolling in health coverage.
What are you thankful for? Proposed regulation around Essential Health Benefits!
Last Friday afternoon, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the highly anticipated 2016 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (BPP) rule. The BPP addresses a number of consumer...
50 State Report: Let’s keep fighting for children’s coverage
Following years of decline, uninsurance rate for children are holding steady, according to a report that Georgetown Center for Children and Families released today. Their annual 50-state report provides a detailed picture of kids’ coverage at the state and national...
Kids Need More Than an Insurance Card
For many years, Health Care for All Massachusetts (HCFA) has focused on and prioritized children’s health coverage. In 1995, HCFA started the Children’s Health Access Coalition with the goal of making sure that all kids in Massachusetts had insurance. Today,...
From Connecticut to the Capitol: A Consumer Focus
As Kevin Counihan takes the reigns as the “Obamacare CEO” of HealthCare.gov and as we all gear up for open enrollment, Community Catalyst hopes that HealthCare.Gov will run as smoothly this year as AccessHealthCT did under Counihan’s leadership.
What does the Coverage Gap have to do with kids? A whole lot, it turns out.
Last week, Virginia’s General Assembly once again took up the issue of closing the coverage gap, and once again struck the measure down. The primary goal of last week’s special session was to discuss the closure of this gap: Governor...
Making Outreach and Enrollment Work for Former Foster Youth
As we gear up for the next open enrollment period, it’s worth revisiting the ACA’s provision for former foster youth. Thanks to the ACA, youth who age out of foster care are eligible for Medicaid up to age 26.
Take 2: Essential Health Benefits – Wait, didn’t we just do that?
As we enter the fall of 2014, the window of opportunity to influence what benefits are required in Marketplace plans is opening. While the essential health benefits (EHB) package is already set for 2015, advocates have the opportunity to influence...
Back-to-School Shopping List: Clothes, Schools Supplies and…Health Care Coverage
It's back to school season, we view this as a prime opportunity to work with other outreach and enrollment groups to maximize their participation at back-to-school events and help link families to health coverage.
A National Food Fight: Congress vs. Our Nation's Children
The House of Representatives was scheduled to vote on an agricultural appropriations bill that included a new waiver process allowing local school districts to opt-out of the new nutrition requirements enacted in the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act.
Medicaid and CHIP: Proven Tools to Reduce Health Disparities
Today is CHIP’s 17th birthday! As we reflect on the success of this important program, a recent report nicely summarizes its impact.
What Exactly Is MACPAC?
If you’ve been following children’s health policy lately, you have probably been hearing the term MACPAC bandied about. You might have thought, “What is MACPAC? Is this some new version of Pac-Man?” Those are excellent questions, which we will answer...
Children’s Vision Massachusetts: Opening Eyes. Opening Doors.
As much of our energy is focused the “big” policy issues of coverage and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, an often overlooked health issue for children is vision care. Vision issues impact 5 percent to 10 percent of...
Recognizing National Foster Care Month
May is National Foster Care Month, and it is a great time to reflect on the unique health needs of youth who are or have been in foster care and how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) helps to support these...
New Tools to Cut Medicaid Churning
One of the goals of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is to increase the number of people who have access to health insurance, no matter what their life or economic circumstances. We are all working hard to ensure the ACA...
Child Obesity Rates Fall: What does this tell us about health care access?
There was good news this week for children and their future health. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reports that obesity rates among children ages two to five has dropped over the past decade, from 14...
Happy Anniversary, CHIPRA! Why it matters, and what’s next
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA), which extended the authorization for CHIP. In honor of this anniversary, we want to reflect on all the great gains in children’s health coverage we've made...
Takeaways from NEACH’s 2013 Children’s Health Summit
Earlier this month, the New England Alliance for Children’s Health team gathered with our partners from around New England to discuss current events and future issues in children’s health policy. We were pleased that partners from all six New England...
50-state Report: Kids Coverage Improving Thanks to Medicaid and CHIP
Our friends at Georgetown Center for Children and Families today released their 50-state report on children’s health coverage, which provides a detailed picture of the coverage landscape for kids. Overall, the news is positive: 92.8 percent of kids have insurance...
There’s A Hole in Our Bucket: Addressing Children’s Health Insurance Churn
Pursuing health coverage for all children can sometimes feel like pouring water into a leaky bucket. Even when outreach and enrollment efforts are strong, a substantial portion of children will lose their insurance at least once.
Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids: Making Sure Families Can Afford Pediatric Dental Benefits Under the ACA
I always tell my kids, don’t forget to brush your teeth! As we gear up for open enrollment in October, that phrase takes on a whole new meaning: Don’t forget to buy your pediatric coverage.
Some Kids Will Still Face Waiting Periods for CHIP, Unless States Act
Nothing says “long weekend” like a long list of regulations, right? While most of us were still recovering from our Independence Day celebrations, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) released a 600-page final rule.
Implementation for Kids
Have you been wondering how health reform implementation will affect children’s health care programs?
Are you looking for information on when changes to CHIP and Medicaid go into effect?
Do you want to learn more about the new provision allowing young ad
Building an Equitable Future for Children and Families: Key Policy Opportunities to Support Children’s Health and Well-Being
Congress must act now to make ARPA’s forward-minded solutions permanent and substantially decrease racial, social, and economic inequities.
The Moment is Now: Congress Must Take Steps to Address the Black Maternal Health Crisis
In collaboration with various organizations, this blog explains a new letter released by 200+ groups urging Congress to address the maternal health crisis in our country.
Larger ACA Premium Subsidies Are Covering Millions More: Here’s How Congress Can Make Them Permanent
Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, more than 2 million people have signed up for ACA Coverage or Medicaid. Unfortunately, these changes expire in two years.
Sens. Warnock, Ossoff & Baldwin Want to Close the Medicaid Gap, Congress Must Act
This week Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock released a legislative proposal with senators Ossoff and Baldwin to close the Medicaid coverage gap in states that have yet to adopt Medicaid expansion.
Tax Credits: Important Pieces of the Recovery Puzzle
The Child Tax Credit, alongside enhanced Advance Premium Tax Credits, is a critical piece in the puzzle of affordable childcare and healthcare for all Americans.
Study after Study with the Same Results: Medicaid Expansion Is Good for States
Each week it seems like there is a new study that shows the benefits of expanding Medicaid – for both health and state budgets.
Possibilities On the Horizon: State Pathways to Health Care for Undocumented Communities
As we continue to wait and see what may happen on the federal level with legislative proposals such as the HEAL Act, states have stepped in to provide immigrant residents access to care.
2021 Black Maternal Health Week: New Opportunities to Take Action!
This week (April 11-17) marks Black Maternal Health Week, an annual event dedicated to highlighting the alarming statistics around Black maternal health and calling for policies that center birth and reproductive justice.
The American Rescue Plan: A Prescription for Child Health and Stability During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Last week the House voted to advance the American Rescue Plan Act sending the COVID-19 Relief package to the Senate. The $1.9 trillion relief package contains policies that seek to address the economic stability and health of people and communities,...
On the Road for Expanding Medicaid Services in Schools
As students of all ages settle into their classes, Community Catalyst staff have been traveling across the country talking about Medicaid in K-12 schools.
The Health Care Repeal Lawsuit: Texas v. U.S. Harms Children & Families
The Health Care Repeal Lawsuit is an effort to take away health insurance coverage and consumer protections from millions of Americans. If the Texas coalition succeeds, the outcome would be devastating to children and their families.
New Guidance Encourages States to Better Address Children and Youth’s Access to Mental and Behavioral Health Services
Despite challenges, there are opportunities to improve the health and well-being of young people.
Improving Care for Kids: Engage Now to Influence State Proposals
Consumer advocates working to address health inequity and expand access to youth mental health and substance use services should get involved now to ensure their state’s project includes those elements.
Schools Health Gains Momentum….One SPA at a Time
In 2014, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a state Medicaid director letter that gives states the ability to allow local education agencies (LEAs) to expand their school-based Medicaid programs
North Carolina Secures School-Based Medicaid Services to Keep Kids Healthy and In the Classroom
In February, North Carolina received CMS approval to expand Medicaid school-based services, creating a new opportunity to support both school based providers like Nurse Smith and expand health services.
Building Blocks for Change: Focusing on Trauma and Children’s Mental Health in 2019
In 2018, Community Catalyst created our Top Five Health Equity Priorities for Kids to provide a blueprint for targeted advocacy. This blueprint focused on safeguarding health care access, pursuing innovation models that address the needs of the whole family and...
A Step Forward to Address the Mental and Behavioral Health Needs of Children and Families in Turbulent Times
We are in the midst of chaotic times: from dramatic increases in drug overdose deaths to school shootings to contentious public discussions of sexual assault. Although we are sometimes able to shield our children from witnessing or experiencing traumatic events,...
Infant Mortality: Transforming Awareness Into Action
Infant mortality awareness month is coming to a close, but the work to protect infants and their families must continue. As many are acutely aware, infant mortality is an ongoing crisis in this country and disproportionately affects Black families. The...
Integrating Care for Kids: A New Model and a Promising Opportunity
This is the first of two blogs on Integrated Care for Kids (InCK). Stay tuned for our upcoming blog on leveraging InCK for substance use prevention.
Back-to-School Checklist: Pencil, Notebooks, Backpack... Health Insurance?
Some children will show up nervous, some will show up excited and others will show up disappointed that summer is over. But, to us, the most important question is, will they show up insured?
Joining Forces for Health Justice in East Nashville
Through our Partnering for Community Health project, we are collaborating to identify ways to support the health and well-being of children, families and seniors living in the James A. Cayce Homes, a low-income housing development.
Ready, Set, Learn: Ensuring Children Are School Ready
Children do not leave their health care needs at the school’s front door: those health care needs and children’s access to services impact their educational outcomes and long-term health.
As Fatherhood Changes, So Must Pediatrics
Pediatric offices traditionally focused on women as primary caregivers must adjust their approach to support men as more involved and active parents.
Taking a Page from Maine’s Medicaid Playbook
The smart and consistent strategies employed by Maine advocates helped secure health care gains for thousands.
We Must Continue to Act to Address Gun Violence and Its Impact on Kids
Once again, our children have been confronted with another horrific, deadly school shooting.
Rule Threatens Coverage of Critical Women’s Health Services
Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA), only 12 percent of individual health insurance plans covered maternity care.
Bipartisan Opioid Bill Supports Trauma-Informed Approach for Children and Families
In recent good news, the opioid bill that is garnering wide bipartisan support has multiple provisions that address childhood trauma and provide support for impacted children and families. Last week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee unanimously...
Medicaid Protects America's Children
This blog is part of our Medicaid Awareness Month series, in which we highlight the ways that Medicaid supports the health of vulnerable populations. Guest bloggers for the series are state advocates.
Happy 8th Birthday, ACA: Celebrating the ACA’s Important Role in Improving Health Equity
Eight years ago today, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law of the land, and this year’s birthday is truly one to celebrate.
It Is Time To Get REL!
Connecticut advocates push for improved racial, ethnic and language data While the federal landscape continues to hold our attention as threats to public health and coverage programs continue to surface and evolve, state-level advocates are busy advancing agendas that inform...
As Health Advocates, How Can We Respond to Horrific Events?
Right now, we all need to be focused on both healing and action.
Work Requirements for Medicaid Would Deepen Disparities in North Carolina’s Infant and Maternal Health
The Trump Administration’s recent guidelines endorsing work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries could entrench existing barriers to successful pregnancies.
Medicaid Work Requirements Will Undermine the Well-Being of Children and Their Families
By imposing work requirements, the Trump Administration is giving states a tool that could undermine the well-being of children and families.
“Public Charge” Would Create a Public Health Crisis for Immigrant Families
The most likely effect of the revised rule is that it will scare immigrants away from using benefits they are legally eligible to utilize, hurting children and families.
CHIP Is Finally Funded. What Now?
What did Congress leave on the table?
What’s the Hold Up? Congress Must Fully Fund CHIP Now
Despite urgent pleas from governors, providers and families, Congress has yet to deliver long-term funding for this vital program.
CDC Report Highlights Stark Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Infant Mortality
In the first week of the New Year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report on infant mortality, and the news is not good.
Senator-Elect Doug Jones Calls on Senate to Pass CHIP Funding
This blog originally appeared on the Georgetown Center for Children and Families' blog Say Ahhh!, you can view it here. Alabama voters are accustomed to the hot glare of national media attention, but not the warm glow. Doug Jones’ stunning...
Massachusetts: State Plan Amendment Paves the Way for Medicaid in Schools
Earlier this year, Centers on Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) gave Massachusetts the green light to amend their Medicaid state plan, opening the door for schools to bill Medicaid health services provided to all their Medicaid-enrolled students, not just those receiving...
CHIP: One Step Forward, Three Steps Back.
On Friday, CHIP refunding moved forward, ending Halloween week with a trick not a treat.
Goblins and Zombies Aren’t As Scary As Kids Losing Coverage
As we are passing out sweets to all the cute ghosts and dinosaurs, we should be concerned that families are wondering whether the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will be available to their children in the coming months and years.
Moving Forward on CHIP: Congress Should Clear the Way for a Bipartisan Approach
Yesterday was a busy day for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Zombie Graham-Cassidy Bill Detracts from Bipartisan Efforts to Support Children’s Health
While Senators Hatch (R-UT) and Wyden (D-OR) are working on bipartisan solutions that support children’s access to health insurance, Senators Graham (R-SC) and Cassidy (R-LA) are throwing their energy into bringing Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal back from the dead....
New Research Confirms Coverage For Parents Has Rolled Out “Welcome Mat” to Enrollment For Their Kids
New research confirms what we’ve known all along – the Affordable Care Act (ACA) improves the lives of families. According to a recent Health Affairs analysis, over 700,000 children who were eligible for Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)...
Congress’s Summer Break Is Over and the Homework List Is Long
It is back-to-work time for members of Congress, as they return to DC and turn their attention to a lengthy to-do list that includes critical items related to the budget and health care.
Handle with Care: Back to School Amidst Charlottesville
For many families across the country, August is the month of “back to school.” For us in the health advocacy world, it is commonly the month that we focus on health care program enrollment.
What's Next? Advocates Now Turn to CHIP Refunding
The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) celebrated its 20th birthday. Enacted with bipartisan support, CHIP provides coverage to children and pregnant women whose families have incomes above Medicaid eligibility.
The BCRA’s Capped Medicaid Funding Would Heighten States’ Budgeting Woes for Decades
CBO found that the proposed legislation would cut $772 billion from Medicaid – slashing its funding by 26 percent in 2026, compared to current projected funding.
Structural Racism and Maternal and Child Health
Now is the time when we have to eliminate the racist narrative of the “welfare queen.”
You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet: What’s Lurking Beyond the Horizon of the CBO Score
By now, you’ve already seen the key takeaways from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score of the Senate repeal bill. But what you might not know is that the CBO score hides the most devastating of the Senate bill’s effects.
When Health Policy Advocacy Doesn’t See Color, It Doesn’t See Me
his blog is part of a series that will highlight how structural racism in the health care system negatively affects the health of individuals of color.
Rolling Back Progress: Medicaid Cuts Would Deny Children of Color Access to Care
The AHCA, as passed by the House of Representatives and sent on to the Senate, would reverse the progress on children’s coverage that has been made through the ACA.
Trump Budget Attacks Low-Income Communities, State Budgets, Children
Despite his repeated promises on the campaign trail that he would not cut Medicaid, President Trump’s FY 2018 budget would slash the program’s budget nearly in half over the next decade. The budget assumes the $839 billion in Medicaid cuts...
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS): MA Taskforce Report Offers Path to Advancing Parent and Infant Health
The rise in opioid misuse has continued to receive attention across the country, and only more urgently in recent months as Republicans continue to press forward toward a repeal of the ACA with a disastrous replacement bill
The American Health Care Act is a Barrier to Good Health for Moms and Families
As Mother’s Day approaches, children in communities across the country are busy constructing cards and coupons entitled “free hugs” and “will do dishes” while partners place orders for flowers (or mulch – depending how you roll).
Social Determinants and Sun Drop in Small Town North Carolina
In step with this broader understanding of how social determinants influence health equity, Community Catalyst’s Children’s Health Initiative recently launched a new project, Partnering for Community Health.
GOP Repeal Bill Goes from Awful to Worse in Harming Kids
In the middle of the night, in an effort to save their flawed health care bill, Republicans released a number of amendments to the American Health Care Act (AHCA) that would dramatically impact the ability of low-income children, including millions...
Top 5 Reasons the House GOP Bill to Repeal the ACA is Bad for Children and Families
The GOP Health Care Repeal Bill will negatively impact millions, but low-income kids, working families and communities of color will be hit particularly hard.
Call to Action: Creating Cycles of Opportunity Through ACEs Screening
Amidst the noise of the national political landscape, it is important to remind ourselves that February is Black History Month. While this month serves to celebrate the accomplishments of black people in America, it is also a reminder of how...
Why We Love CHIP – Because It’s Much More Than Coverage
One of the most shameful failures of our public safety net system is when structural harm goes unaddressed. The lead crisis in Flint, Michigan remains a painful reminder of when blind commitment to cost savings results in irreversible harm for...
Beware of Block Grants: Along With ACA Defense, We Need to Protect Medicaid Too
Kellyanne Conway signaled the new administration’s desire to convert funding for the Medicaid program to block grants to states, with the assertion that doing so would mean "those closest to the people in need will be administering the program."
Double Jeopardy for Children with Disabilities
As we face a future that could hold the repeal of the ACA and the emergence of a Department of Education that does not stand up for the civil rights of children with disabilities, I am acutely aware of the lose-lose situation for kids and their families.
Medicaid Innovation Would Flatline Under Block Grants and Per Capita Caps
[Medicaid] has meant many more kids, grandparents and people with chronic health conditions have been able to get the care they need
Repealing the ACA Puts Children at Risk
Just before the end of December, when people were shutting off their news feeds and setting up their out-of-office emails, advocates in Arizona held a press event to highlight the devastating impact the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)...
For More than 73 Million People, It Is Critical that We Protect Medicaid and CHIP
73 million. 73 million. This is the number of people who rely on Medicaid for their health coverage - and almost half of them are children. It’s the number that stands out on the screen as we read Kaiser Health...
New England Leads Trends For Growth In Children’s Health Coverage
Coverage success for children did not happen overnight and is not static. As we enter the next open enrollment period, we are reminded that coverage and maintaining coverage is ongoing and requires year-round support.
States’ Role in Preventing Churn: The Good and the Bad
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 20 million people have gained health insurance coverage, creating a pathway to better health. However, holding on to that coverage is not always easy and barriers remain for many consumers. Even with the...
CMS Provides Arizona Families with a ‘Waiver’ of Relief
On Friday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced some good news for Arizona’s children and families.
Connecticut’s Summer Slog
Transitioning between Medicaid and Marketplace coverage can create health care potholes for consumers, placing them in harm’s way. Transitioning coverage can be further complicated by challenges with health literacy and health insurance literacy
Massachusetts Takes Important Step To Protect Infants Amid Opioid Crisis
As states across the country look for ways to combat the ongoing opioid crisis, one overlooked issue is how we address the impact of this crisis on our communities’ youngest.
A Nurse in EVERY School
While school nurses have long been recognized for their vital role in supporting children’s educational success through better health, there is increasing recognition that school nurses are integral to reforming our health care delivery system. School nurses are the eyes...
Health and Housing: The Benefits and Pitfalls of Partnerships
We know that as the energy in the health care world turns to reinventing health care delivery systems, social and economic determinants of health and the role they play in community health are front and center. Studies have uniformly shown...
Best Practices in Ensuring Health Coverage for All Children
Earlier this month, Florida joined 29 other states that offer Medicaid and CHIP coverage to children and pregnant women who legally reside in this country under five years. We, in Ohio, celebrate this monumental step with our friends in Florida....
U.S. Task Force Recognizes Critical Need to Address Maternal Depression
In late January, the United States Preventive Services Task Force released its final recommendation statement for adult depression screening.
Medicaid is Growing Up. It’s Time to Go to School.
Thanks to a clarification by CMS regarding the “free care” rule a little over a year ago, schools can be reimbursed for services provided to Medicaid-eligible students. This was a subject of a conference call and toolkit released earlier this...
Arizona Kids are Falling Through the Cracks Without Active KidsCare Program
by Joe Fu, Children’s Action Alliance For the fifth year in a row, Arizona had the third highest child uninsured rate in the nation. In 2014, 10% of Arizona’s children were uninsured compared to about 6% nationally, according to a new...
Children in Foster Care Need More Holistic Health Care
Over the last few years, states have witnessed widespread failings within agencies charged with overseeing the well-being of children in foster care.
Policy Prescriptions for Federal Child Nutrition Programs to Improve Child Health
Children need healthy food to learn, grow and thrive. Unfortunately, our researchers and pediatricians at Children’s HealthWatch encounter families every day struggling to afford enough food for all family members – a condition known as food insecurity.
We can reduce health disparities and ensure that ALL children have health coverage
Ensuring that families of all ethnic backgrounds access the health care they need to be healthy is one of the most important things we can do for our nation’s children.
Celebrating the Golden Anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid – Looking Ahead to the Next 50 Years
Fifty years ago today, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the landmark amendments to the Social Security Act that created the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Medicaid: A Win for Families and our Future
At Voices for Virginia’s Children, we are reflecting on Medicaid’s 50th anniversary and what the program has meant to generations of children and families here in Virginia.
Medicaid reform – A Tale of Two States
Medicaid provides health and financial security for millions of low-income, working Americans. Despite the fact that Medicaid is as efficient as (or even more efficient than) private insurance, it is often a target of state budget cuts.
There Is No Time like the Present to Talk about EHB Benchmarks!
Yes, you heard it right – it’s time to do essential health benefits selection…again.
VITA Volunteering: A First-Hand Glimpse Into the Intersection of the ACA and Taxes
This year my tax season did not start and end, as it typically does, with the latest Turbo Tax software and single W-2 form. Instead the season began a lot earlier and revolved around a trio of brand new Affordable Care Act tax forms.
The ACA Is About People, Not Politics
Over the past five years, we have watched the Affordable Care Act go from a hotly contested piece of legislation to a hotly contested law that, despite non-stop efforts to undermine it, has given millions of American’s access to health care.
Insurance coverage for parents and kids creates long-term success and health
The Institute for Research on Poverty released a new study that provides further confirmation that Medicaid and CHIP contribute to the long-term health and success of children
CHIP Success: Where Do We Go From Here?
Yesterday, we alerted our partners to the great news that the Senate had passed H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA).
Continuing a Legacy of Children’s Coverage
The Senate must act quickly next week to extend CHIP and protect the coverage of 8 million children.
An Open Letter: Dear Governor, Protect Coverage
As you continue budget conversations with your state legislature, state consumer health advocates urge you to protect health insurance coverage programs that help consumers achieve financial stability and good health.
Happy Fifth Birthday, ACA!
The passage of the ACA was a monumental achievement for individuals and organizations across the country. We continue to be incredibly proud of all our state partners who have worked tirelessly to implement the law.
It’s time to start talking about Essential Health Benefit benchmark plans!
It seems like a distant memory when states had to choose their Essential Health Benefit (EHB) benchmark plans. However this process will repeat itself, as states have the option to pick new benchmark plans for the 2017 plan year based on a 2014 plan.
Moving CHIP Forward: Discussion Draft Demands Response
Yesterday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hatch (R-UT), House E&C Chairman Upton (R-MI), and Representative Pitts (R-PA) released a discussion draft that outlines their vision for the future of CHIP.
Telling the consumer assistance story: Evaluation of outreach and enrollment efforts
Health Care for All is strongly committed to outreach efforts across the state. As outreach workers, we often hear the question: “What strategy or activity is the most effective in enrolling folks in coverage?” The answer is: everything, all the time.
It’s a new year, so let’s renew our commitment to CHIP
With 2015 and the 114th Congress underway, it is time to get thinking seriously about the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP serves about 8 million kids nationally.
Health Insurance Never Sounded So Good!
The holiday season brings many traditions to look forward to, such as spending time with family and exchanging gifts. There are also some less-favored traditions, though, such as the deluge of holiday-themed advertisements.
The Smart Shopper's Guide to Medicaid Managed Care Plans
In this season of giving, Community Catalyst has teamed up with the Kaiser Family Foundation to create an online tool that gathers in one place, for the first time, key data on the records of these companies.
Thanksgiving Reflections: Open Enrollment and Children's Health
As consumer health advocates celebrated Thanksgiving last week, we had much to be thankful for. As we ate our turkey, we were thankful not only for friends, family and good health, but also for millions of Americans enrolling in health coverage.
What are you thankful for? Proposed regulation around Essential Health Benefits!
Last Friday afternoon, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the highly anticipated 2016 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (BPP) rule. The BPP addresses a number of consumer...
50 State Report: Let’s keep fighting for children’s coverage
Following years of decline, uninsurance rate for children are holding steady, according to a report that Georgetown Center for Children and Families released today. Their annual 50-state report provides a detailed picture of kids’ coverage at the state and national...
Kids Need More Than an Insurance Card
For many years, Health Care for All Massachusetts (HCFA) has focused on and prioritized children’s health coverage. In 1995, HCFA started the Children’s Health Access Coalition with the goal of making sure that all kids in Massachusetts had insurance. Today,...
From Connecticut to the Capitol: A Consumer Focus
As Kevin Counihan takes the reigns as the “Obamacare CEO” of HealthCare.gov and as we all gear up for open enrollment, Community Catalyst hopes that HealthCare.Gov will run as smoothly this year as AccessHealthCT did under Counihan’s leadership.
What does the Coverage Gap have to do with kids? A whole lot, it turns out.
Last week, Virginia’s General Assembly once again took up the issue of closing the coverage gap, and once again struck the measure down. The primary goal of last week’s special session was to discuss the closure of this gap: Governor...
Making Outreach and Enrollment Work for Former Foster Youth
As we gear up for the next open enrollment period, it’s worth revisiting the ACA’s provision for former foster youth. Thanks to the ACA, youth who age out of foster care are eligible for Medicaid up to age 26.
Take 2: Essential Health Benefits – Wait, didn’t we just do that?
As we enter the fall of 2014, the window of opportunity to influence what benefits are required in Marketplace plans is opening. While the essential health benefits (EHB) package is already set for 2015, advocates have the opportunity to influence...
Back-to-School Shopping List: Clothes, Schools Supplies and…Health Care Coverage
It's back to school season, we view this as a prime opportunity to work with other outreach and enrollment groups to maximize their participation at back-to-school events and help link families to health coverage.
A National Food Fight: Congress vs. Our Nation's Children
The House of Representatives was scheduled to vote on an agricultural appropriations bill that included a new waiver process allowing local school districts to opt-out of the new nutrition requirements enacted in the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act.
Medicaid and CHIP: Proven Tools to Reduce Health Disparities
Today is CHIP’s 17th birthday! As we reflect on the success of this important program, a recent report nicely summarizes its impact.
What Exactly Is MACPAC?
If you’ve been following children’s health policy lately, you have probably been hearing the term MACPAC bandied about. You might have thought, “What is MACPAC? Is this some new version of Pac-Man?” Those are excellent questions, which we will answer...
Children’s Vision Massachusetts: Opening Eyes. Opening Doors.
As much of our energy is focused the “big” policy issues of coverage and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, an often overlooked health issue for children is vision care. Vision issues impact 5 percent to 10 percent of...
Recognizing National Foster Care Month
May is National Foster Care Month, and it is a great time to reflect on the unique health needs of youth who are or have been in foster care and how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) helps to support these...
New Tools to Cut Medicaid Churning
One of the goals of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is to increase the number of people who have access to health insurance, no matter what their life or economic circumstances. We are all working hard to ensure the ACA...
Child Obesity Rates Fall: What does this tell us about health care access?
There was good news this week for children and their future health. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reports that obesity rates among children ages two to five has dropped over the past decade, from 14...
Happy Anniversary, CHIPRA! Why it matters, and what’s next
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA), which extended the authorization for CHIP. In honor of this anniversary, we want to reflect on all the great gains in children’s health coverage we've made...
Takeaways from NEACH’s 2013 Children’s Health Summit
Earlier this month, the New England Alliance for Children’s Health team gathered with our partners from around New England to discuss current events and future issues in children’s health policy. We were pleased that partners from all six New England...
50-state Report: Kids Coverage Improving Thanks to Medicaid and CHIP
Our friends at Georgetown Center for Children and Families today released their 50-state report on children’s health coverage, which provides a detailed picture of the coverage landscape for kids. Overall, the news is positive: 92.8 percent of kids have insurance...
There’s A Hole in Our Bucket: Addressing Children’s Health Insurance Churn
Pursuing health coverage for all children can sometimes feel like pouring water into a leaky bucket. Even when outreach and enrollment efforts are strong, a substantial portion of children will lose their insurance at least once.
Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids: Making Sure Families Can Afford Pediatric Dental Benefits Under the ACA
I always tell my kids, don’t forget to brush your teeth! As we gear up for open enrollment in October, that phrase takes on a whole new meaning: Don’t forget to buy your pediatric coverage.
Some Kids Will Still Face Waiting Periods for CHIP, Unless States Act
Nothing says “long weekend” like a long list of regulations, right? While most of us were still recovering from our Independence Day celebrations, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) released a 600-page final rule.
Implementation for Kids
Have you been wondering how health reform implementation will affect children’s health care programs?
Are you looking for information on when changes to CHIP and Medicaid go into effect?
Do you want to learn more about the new provision allowing young ad