Commentary on Trends in Child Health Insurance Coverage: A Local Perspective

Purpose: To provide commentary on the original research article, “Trends in Child Health Insurance Coverage: A Local Perspective,” by Jean Rapahel, Richard R. Batsell, Marc A. Kowalkowski, Aileen Beltran, Angelo P. Giardino, and Charles G. Macias. Findings: The authors clearly show that in Houston, TX, over the past eight years, fewer children have employer-sponsored health insurance coverage and more children, especially low-income and minority children, are enrolled in public health insurance programs. These findings underscore the critical importance of preserving and strengthening our existing public insurance safety-net programs. Conclusion: All children should have access to high quality health care and insurance coverage. While the Medicaid program is not perfect, it plays an essential role in providing low-income children with primary care providers and routine well-child care. As child advocates, we should celebrate the achievements of the Medicaid program while we work to find innovative policy strategies to improve quality of care and optimize health care delivery. We must also stay committed to a comprehensive effort to eliminate childhood poverty and all health disparities as an essential investment in both the future health and future productivity of the next generation