Children’s Medicaid and CHIP Fact Sheet
Why are Medicaid and CHIP important?
- Over 77 million people in the U.S. use Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to pay for their health care, including:
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- Nearly half of all U.S. children (more than 36 million).
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- Approximately 7 million children with special health care needs
How do these programs help children with special health care needs?
- They pay for preventive and specialty health care, dental care, mental health care and therapies to help children reach their fullest potential.
- They fund specialized medical equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers and communication devices.
- Medicaid also covers services to help families including:
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- Personal care attendants so caregivers can work.
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- Home and community-based services to prevent institutionalization.
Why do these programs make financial sense?
- They are efficient. For children with similar health issues, Medicaid expenses per child are 27% less than for private insurance.
- They are cost-effective. Providing preventive care and supportive services is much less expensive than the costs of emergency, inpatient, and long-term care services.
Potential impacts of funding cuts:
- Fewer health care providers and services.
- Reduced access to care (particularly in rural communities) and longer wait times.
- Delays in early intervention.
- Increased utilization of costly emergency care.
Sources & Additional Resources
Explore these trusted resources:
- Medicaid.gov - National Medicaid & CHIP Enrollment Data
- Children's Hospital Association - Medicaid's Impact on Children's Health Coverage
- Georgetown University Center for Children and Families - Medicaid and Children with Special Health Care Needs
- Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) - Medicaid and Children with Special Health Care Needs
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities - Medicaid Policy Overview