Federal Policy
Census Data Show Child Uninsured Rate at Decade High
The U.S. Census Bureau released 2025 American Community Survey data on October 29, 2026, over a month later than its typical mid-September release. The data show the child uninsured rate remained at its highest level in a decade, with an increase among young children specifically. The analysis follows the Current Population Survey's Annual Social and Economic Supplement data released weeks earlier, which found similar trends. These federal survey findings provide state-level detail on coverage losses likely tied to Medicaid and CHIP eligibility redeterminations and enrollment barriers.
Why it mattersState Medicaid and CHIP agencies face renewed pressure to address enrollment and retention barriers as federal data confirm sustained child coverage losses.