Iowa was recognized for its strong commitment to children's health coverage despite a tough economic climate, according to a report released today by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF).
Weathering the Storm: States Moving Forward Despite Tough Economic Climate identified Iowa as one of twenty-three states that expanded health coverage for children in 2009. Iowa was the first state to take advantage of opportunities presented in the Child Health Insurance Reform Act (CHIPRA) of 2009 to develop a dental option for children and to extend coverage to all income-qualifying legal resident children.
"Iowa leaders stood up for the most vulnerable members of our community - our children - during this fiscal crisis by expanding access to affordable children's health coverage," said Carrie Fitzgerald, Senior Health Policy Associate of the Child and Family Policy Center in Des Moines. "Iowa expanded eligibility for hawk-i coverage to families up to 300% of poverty and adopted streamlined provisions for enrollment and re-enrollment that will help ensure children receive continuous health care coverage."
Nationwide, strong state and federal support for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has reduced the number of uninsured children to its lowest levels since 1987. The report found that states have taken advantage of the passage of CHIPRA and other federal support to secure additional funds and strengthen their efforts to cover more children.
"Weathering the Storm' is important in showing Iowa's leadership in child health coverage, but there still are uninsured children in the state," Charles Bruner, Director of the Child and Family Policy Center, stated. "Iowa must continue its implementation efforts and activities to ensure all children receive the health care they need for healthy development. Children's healthy development is key to Iowa's future and to containing health care expenditures over the long term."
For more information on the report, Weathering the Storm: States Moving Forward Despite Tough Economic Climate, visit CCF's website www.ccf.georgetown.edu/facts-statistics
