More than one in four children younger than 18 are either uninsured or have poor access to medical care, new research shows, which can add to the cost of treating chronic illnesses later in life.
More than 20 million pediatric patients have inadequate access to healthcare services despite significant regulatory measures to ensure children have health coverage, according to a report released by the Children’s Health Fund (CHF).
More than 10 million children—or 14 percent of the pediatric population—are insured but miss wellness visits, and nearly 7 million lack access to specialty services. Financial concerns surrounding high co-pays and deductibles are the primary reasons for these gaps, but non-financial barriers, such as lack of transportation or a shortage of providers in geographic areas, are also contributing factors, the report says.
“Part of the point we hope to make is that prevention and early interventions for children can decrease burden of disease and impact later on, as they grow into a generation of healthier adults, study co-author and CHF Chief Medical Officer, Delaney Gracy, M.D. said in an announcement. "The national cost of common illnesses related to poverty and poor medical access, like asthma and obesity, is several billions of dollars annually.”
The report notes that reducing or eliminating co-pays and increasing subsidies for low-income families would help break down financial barriers. Meanwhile, incentivizing providers to work in areas where there is a shortage of professionals, while increasing the use of telehealth and mobile health services, would improve access to care.
A study published in August found that hospitals are more likely to admit children with private plans than those with Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, in part because the government programs offer much lower reimbursement. Last year, the federal government announced a $32 million campaign designed to boost health coverage for children after President Barack Obama's administration funded CHIP through 2017. However, the program’s future is uncertain, as Republicans have expressed interest in scaling back the program.