Uninsured Rate for Children Under 6 Hits Decade High, Rising 220,000 Between 2022-2024
A new report shows that over 220,000 additional children under age 6 became uninsured between 2022 and 2024, pushing the uninsurance rate for this age group to its highest level in nearly a decade. The increase follows the end of Medicaid continuous coverage requirements that were in place during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Young children are particularly vulnerable to coverage gaps because they rely heavily on Medicaid and CHIP for health insurance. The trend signals growing challenges for states and managed care plans in maintaining enrollment and preventing coverage loss during renewal periods.
Rising pediatric uninsurance rates indicate potential problems with state renewal processes, auto-enrollment systems, and MCO outreach that directly affect plan membership, HEDIS measures, and performance-based payments tied to enrollment retention.
CHIP · Managed Care
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