Health Insurance (100% Campaign)
In recent decades, California has made significant strides in providing health insurance to all children. The state has reduced the number of uninsured children by half since the early 1990s, which helps to improve children's overall health and decrease health care costs borne by the public.
Yet at least 683,000 children lack health coverage altogether, and more than one million California children do not have regular access to a doctor. In 2007, only 55% of California's children had coverage through their parents' workplace – a figure that has seen a sharp decline over the past decade. State and local children’s health coverage programs have taken up much of the slack In February 2009, federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program was reauthorized, giving California sufficient federal funds to insure the children currently covered by state programs, cover currently eligible but uninsured children, and extend coverage to all uninsured children in families up to 300% of FPL. California leaders now have the opportunity – and responsibility – to provide affordable, comprehensive health coverage to all California children.
Learn More about Health Coverage
Facts & Figures | Policy Recommendations | Related Links
Fact & Figures [back to top]
- 683,000 (6.4%) of California's children did not have health insurance in 2007. Over half of those children (385,000) are eligible for affordable health coverage through Medi-Cal or Healthy Families.
- California ranks 43rd out of 50 states on the percentage of children with health coverage.
- In California, Latinos are nearly 3 times as likely as whites to be uninsured.
- Children with health insurance are healthier and perform better in school.
Policy Recommendations [back to top]
- Provide health insurance access for all of California's children by expanding Medi-Cal and Healthy Families eligibility to children not currently eligible for state programs (at or below 300% Federal Poverty Level, regardless of immigration status), and increasing affordable options for children in middle-income families.
- Ensure health insurance plans for children include comprehensive benefits – such as assessment and prevention services, dental care and mental health services – so the full range of children's medical needs are met.
- Streamline state programs to further increase enrollment and retention of currently eligible children.
Related Links [back to top]
