Brief More Than Four Million Parents of Young Children Were Uninsured in 2017 - 18
Jennifer M. Haley, Tyler Thomas, Stacey McMorrow
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In this brief, we assess uninsurance among mothers and fathers living with young children from birth to age 5 using National Health Interview Survey data. More than 4 million parents living with young children—2.2 million mothers and 2.2 million fathers—were uninsured in 2017–18, representing a 40 percent decline in uninsurance since 2013, following implementation of the major coverage provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Though fathers living with young children were more likely to be uninsured than mothers, both mothers and fathers living with young children who were Hispanic, noncitizens, living in the South, lacking a high school diploma, or in a family with low income faced uninsurance rates greater than 20 percent. Many uninsured parents living with young children also reported problems affording needed health care, low levels of health care use, and concerns about affording other basic needs.

Research and Evidence Health Policy Family and Financial Well-Being Tax and Income Supports
Expertise Families Health Care Coverage, Access, and Affordability Reproductive and Maternal Health
Tags Health insurance Economic well-being Health equity Maternal, child, and reproductive health Father involvement Parenting Women and girls Men and boys
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