View Research by Author - Nathaniel Anderson

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By 2010, Medicaid and CHIP covered 36 percent of all children and over half of all Hispanic and black children. Generally, the Hispanic, black, and white children served by Medicaid and CHIP appear to have high levels of access to care. However, black and Hispanic children with Medicaid/CHIP coverage may have more problems accessing care, relative to their white counterparts, in two areas: specialty and mental health care. While overall levels of care are similar, the magnitude of difference in specialty care requires further study to explore both the causes and the potential implications of these patterns.

By 2010, Medicaid and CHIP covered 36 percent of all children and over half of all Hispanic and black children. Generally, the Hispanic, black, and white children served by Medicaid and CHIP appear to have high levels of access to care. However, black and Hispanic children with Medicaid/CHIP coverage may have more problems accessing care, relative to their white counterparts, in two areas: specialty and mental health care. While overall levels of care are similar, the magnitude of difference in specialty care requires further study to explore both the causes and the potential implications of these patterns.

This brief examines variation in Medicaid/CHIP participation among children and parents. Participation continued to vary across states and subgroups of children but differences were found to be narrowing. Medicaid/CHIP participation increased nationally from 81.7 percent in 2008 to 85.8 percent in 2010, which was associated with a decline in uninsurance among eligible children. Participation rates were lower among parents in each state relative to the rates for children. States that had relatively higher/lower participation rates among children were more likely to also have relatively higher/lower participation rates among parents.

This brief provides new national and state-level information about the uninsured adults with incomes below 138 percent of FPL who could become eligible for Medicaid if states decide to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). At present, few states cover non-disabled, non-pregnant parents with incomes up to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and even fewer cover such adults without dependent children. This analysis shows that the approximately 15 million uninsured adults who could gain coverage under the ACA Medicaid expansion are a diverse group in terms of their age, gender and race/ethnicity.

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