Report: Major Medicaid Cuts Could Negatively Affect Children’s Health
Significant cuts to state Medicaid programs could jeopardize the health of millions of children and other vulnerable beneficiaries, according to a report by researchers at George Washington University, The Hill's "Healthwatch" reports (Baker, "Healthwatch," The Hill, 6/13).
The report was commissioned by the consumer advocacy group First Focus. For the study, researchers used data from the 2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health.
Key Findings
According to the report, children covered by public health insurance programs are nearly three times more likely than privately insured children to have a serious health condition. In addition, publicly insured children are almost three times more likely to be reported by a parent or caretaker as having fair or poor health.
The report also included data showing that Medicaid per capita costs are lower on average than per capita costs for private health plans (Adams, CQ HealthBeat, 6/13).
Researchers concluded that Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program provide effective coverage for vulnerable populations at a relatively low cost ("Healthwatch," The Hill, 6/13).
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