From Deseret News archives:
Uninsured kids miss vital health care
That is the finding of a new report released last week by the child-welfare advocacy group the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in an effort to encourage parents to enroll children in available health-insurance programs before they enroll them in the new school year.
About 15,000 children approximately 19 percent of all kids in the state with chronic conditions such as asthma or diabetes are covered by the state's Children's Health Insurance Program or Medicaid, the joint state/federal insurance program for low-income Utahns.
The report supports survey findings by child advocates in Utah that having health insurance makes an enormous difference in whether kids receive the care they need, especially if they are chronically ill.
Findings by researchers at the University of Minnesota show that insured children are three times more likely to visit a doctor's office in the course of a year than are uninsured children. In addition, insured kids are far more likely to have had a regular or back-to-school checkup to keep them healthy.
More than one in three chronically ill children nationwide is enrolled in one of these programs and has consistent access to needed care because of them.
"SCHIP and Medicaid provide an important safety net for America's families, especially for families with chronically ill children," said Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "These programs allow kids to get the care they need so that they can feel better, grow stronger and thrive in school."
When children who need care do not receive it, their conditions worsen and are harder and more expensive to treat later, she said.
"Because of Medicaid and SCHIP, millions of kids can get regular checkups, take the medications they need to stay well and see a doctor when they are sick," she added. "Parents of any uninsured child should find out if their family is eligible for low-cost or free insurance before sending their kids back to school."
Recent comments
We need to get off this insurance campaign. We can't blame lack of...
Bob G | Aug. 25, 2008 at 5:13 a.m.
- No fractures on Emery's foot 10:07 a.m.
- Reports: Modest but steady growth 10:02 a.m.
- Stocks hold gains after econ reports 9:59 a.m.
- Ontario Mormons' nativity scenes 9:41 a.m.
- Rabbis join NJ gay marriage debate 9:03 a.m.
- Afghan buildup on faster timetable 9:01 a.m.
- Salahi denies crashing W.H. party 8:58 a.m.
- Suspect in police slayings killed 8:55 a.m.
- Arrests made in Roy slayings 8:35 a.m.
- Bowden meeting with school officials 8:01 a.m.
- Hall reprimanded by MWC
- Utes won't respond to Hall
- Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
- 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
- Mitchell called intelligent, controlling
- Cougs begin bowl preparations
- Y. student vanished in China
- Max Hall issues apology
- Daughter: Mitchell fed me my pet
- BYU says Hall incident resolved
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
900 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
481 - Hall reprimanded by MWC
387 - Max Hall issues apology
383 - Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
322 - Utes won't respond to Hall
264 - BYU is champion of the state
140 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
123 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
120 - BYU says Hall incident resolved
119
My husband was teaching his 6th-grade class in Salt Lake last year when...
I wanted to tell them not to go. I dropped subtle hints. "My money is on...
As it was for President Bush as well.
Way to go! Being an insulin dependent diabetic is no small task. This boy...
Very well said. Also, our elected officials need to give patriotic duty to...
. . . since it's the situs of a case in which the Attorney General's...
I hope for a quick recovery to this great competitor.
Let's build a monorail!
Max Hall is the 'winningest' QB in BYU history. OR Max Hall is the...
With the emergence of Fes out of the D League it is looking more and more...
Emery is the best player on the floor. He will be missed, but I think they...
There are believers and there are seekers. The believers just want everyone...

