Report Ranks Calif. 44th in Nation for Delivering Health Care to Children
California ranks 44th in the nation for delivering health care to children, according to a report released today by the Commonwealth Fund, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The study scored California, as well as the other 49 states and the District of Columbia. Researchers based the rankings on 20 measures, including access to care, prevention and treatment.
Children's Health Coverage
The Commonwealth Fund report found that 7.5 million children -- or 10% of the U.S. population under age 18 -- were uninsured in 2009. In California, 11.1% of children were uninsured that year.
California allows children in families with annual incomes up to 250% of the federal poverty level to receive coverage through Medi-Cal or Healthy Families. Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program and Healthy Families is the state's Children's Health Insurance Program.
Some states extend public health insurance coverage to children in families with annual incomes as high as 400% of the federal poverty level.
Barriers to Care
According to the report, California might score worse than other states for children's health coverage because many Californians work in industries such as agriculture, restaurants and hospitality, which generally do not offer employer-based coverage.
The report also notes that the state's low Medi-Cal reimbursement rates to hospitals and physicians could make it difficult for some residents to gain access to care (Colliver, San Francisco Chronicle, 2/2).
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