The State Children's Health Insurance Program: Has it Reduced the Percentage of Uninsured Children?

Abstract

Recent data indicate that the percentage of children in the United States who are uninsured is declining. Although many factors have contributed to that decline, this study assesses the role of public health insurance, specifically the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP),¹ in reducing the percentage of uninsured children without health insurance from 1998–2000 and whether Medicaid and SCHIP crowd out exists. While this research confirms a significant decline in the percentage of uninsured children since SCHIP began enrolling children in 1998, other factors, including the poverty rate, the percentage of children on Medicaid, geographic region and race had a greater impact in explaining that result than SCHIP. Lastly, the data findings are consistent with research suggesting crowd out does exist.²

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