Let’s Aim To Get All Maryland Kids Health Coverage

More than 40,000 Maryland kids aren’t covered by health insurance, and that needs to change. These are kids at risk of not seeing a doctor or getting medicine when they are sick, and unlikely to get routine preventive care, like physical exams and flu shots. This lack of medical attention can put them at a disadvantage throughout their lives.

The good news is that, thanks in part to federal health reforms, a smaller percentage of children in Maryland go without health coverage than in many other states – about half the national average. The number of children without health insurance is down by more than one-third over the past four years; 97 percent of children in the state now have coverage.

Lawmakers must continue to work to ensure that all kids are able to get the care they need, with particular focus on reaching kids in families who might earn just enough that they don’t qualify for public insurance but who are struggling to make ends meet, making private insurance an unaffordable luxury.

Maryland’s decision to expand eligibility for Medicaid contributed to the falling rate of children whose families lack insurance. The percentage of children covered under public insurance has increased to about 34 percent from 29 percent over the past four years.

This growth in the number of families with health coverage thanks to public insurance is important because coverage has been shown to contribute to long-term benefits. Kids who receive care through Medicaid do better in school and become more productive adults than those who lack coverage. They miss fewer school days due to illness or injury and are more likely to finish high school and to attend and graduate from college. As adults, they earn more.

It’s not hard to see that making sure all kids in Maryland have health insurance is good for everyone in the state. Finishing the job should be a high priority and Maryland can lead the way for the nation.