A recently published analysis of the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health found that 19.3% of American children (14.1 million) were underinsured in 2007.  That is more than the number of children who were uninsured (3.4 million) and the number who had insurance during only part of the year (7.6 million).  Children who were older, in fair or poor health, or with special health care needs were more likely to be underinsured. Hispanic children  and children in the Midwest were also more likely to be underinsured.  Children with private insurance were more likely to be underinsured (24.2%) than children with public insurance (14.7%).

Data on insurance adequacy were based on parents’ or guardians’ judgments of whether their children’s insurance covered needed services and providers and reasonably covered costs. Specifically, adequacy was derived from parents’ or guardians’ responses to three questions: “Does the child’s health insurance offer benefits or cover services that meet his or her needs?” “Does the child’s health insurance allow him or her to see the health care providers he or she needs?” “Not including health insurance premiums or costs that are covered by insurance, do you pay any money for the child’s health care?”

Read the full article.