Chipping away at the uninsured.
Although the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has accomplished a great deal, more than nine million children-many of whom are eligible for public health insurance-remain uninsured. In this commentary I propose that coverage for children should be universal, with eligibility systems operating behind the scenes in a way that relieves individual families of the burden of enrollment. States, the federal government, employers, and families would have to reconsider their roles in providing coverage, but starting with the appropriate vision would put the focus on practical problems and overcome the inherently limited approach of layered, incremental programs.
Weil
Alan
A
National Academy for State Health Policy in Washington, DC, USA. aweil@nashp.org
D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D035082:Federal Government; D006801:Humans; D017057:Medically Uninsured; D013219:State Government; D013221:State Health Plans / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States; D019472:Universal Health Insurance / Q000458:organization & administration*