Kansas Child Uninsured Rate Tops National Average Second Year Running
Census Bureau's American Community Survey data show 8.5% of Kansas children under 19 lacked health insurance in 2025, up from 7% in 2024, exceeding the national child uninsured rate of 6.2%. Speaking at a Kansas Health Foundation forum, El Centro CEO Erica Andrade said Medicaid and CHIP enrollment barriers are by design, and that immigration enforcement fears have led some eligible families to disenroll or avoid applying. Georgetown researcher Anne Dwyer said Kansas was one of nine states with a statistically significant increase in child uninsurance, attributing the national and state declines in Medicaid/CHIP enrollment to increased administrative requirements, the end of COVID-era continuous coverage, work-reporting confusion, and pending federal program cuts. Kansas pediatrician Sonder Crane said uninsured children miss preventive care and vaccinations, worsened by rural provider shortages and physician retirements.