Report: Nine percent of state’s children uninsured
By John Lyon / Arkansas News Bureau
Wednesday, November 26, 2008 10:56 AM CST
LITTLE ROCK — An estimated 66,000, or 9.2 percent, of Arkansas’ children are not covered by any form of health insurance, according to a report released Monday.
“That means that one out of every 11 children in Arkansas is uninsured. In terms of Arkansas’ ranking, Arkansas ranks right in the middle: It has the 25th highest percentage of uninsured children,” said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit consumer advocacy group that released the report.
The report, based on Census Bureau surveys from 2005-2007, estimates that of the 66,000 Arkansas children who are uninsured, 89.7 percent live in homes with at least one working parent and 66 percent live in homes with at least one parent working full-time.
An estimated 64.3 percent of the children come from families with a yearly income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which is $35,200 for a family of three.
Families in Arkansas with an income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for the children’s health insurance program ARKids First.
“Almost two-thirds of uninsured children in the state are in families with incomes below this level, which means that many children who are eligible for coverage are missing out,” the report states.
Families USA began releasing state reports on uninsured children last month. A national report, titled “Left Behind: America’s Uninsured Children,” is set for release today.
ARKids First, which covers about 89,000 children from low-income families, receives most of its funding from the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, a federal program. Last year President Bush vetoed legislation that would have extended SCHIP past its September 2008 expiration date and increased funding by $35 billion over five years to cover about 4 million more children.
Although Congress and the president were unable to agree on a plan to expand the program, Bush did sign legislation to extend the program through March 31, 2009, for children already enrolled.
In a conference call with reporters, U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Prescott, and U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., said Monday the report by Families USA highlights the importance of continuing and expanding SCHIP.
Ross acknowledged that the country is heading into tough economic times — he speculated that the U.S. may be six to 18 months away from the worst recession since the Great Depression — and that the economy is likely to dominate the attention of the 111th Congress.
But expanding SCHIP should be a priority too, Ross said.
“President Bush said that we couldn’t afford to expand health care to the children of working parents, and yet at the same time he continues to spend $16 million an hour of your tax money in Iraq. It’s about priorities,” he said.
Ross and Lincoln said Congress’ proposal last year to expand SCHIP was fiscally responsible. The measure would have raised the federal cigarette tax from 39 cents to $1 per pack to pay for the expansion.
Opponents, including U.S. Rep. John Boozman, R-Rogers, said at the time that the proposed funding mechanism was bad policy because it assumed an ever-growing number of smokers.
Lincoln said Monday that investing in children’s health care improves children’s chances of becoming successful, healthy and happy adults.
“How can we afford not to?” she said.
Asked about the possibility of more sweeping health care reform, Ross and Lincoln both said they believe comprehensive reform is on the agendas of President-elect Obama and Congress.
“But I think the economy is going to be the focus” of the next session, Ross said.
On the Net:
www.familiesusa.org
