Caring for Kids:
Majority of Massachusetts Children Have Benefitted from MassHealth Programs
June 19, 2018 MassHealth1 insurance plays a crucial role in providing health coverage and health care security for the children of Massachusetts, insuring more than half of the Commonwealth’s children at some point each year. Health insurance is crucial for ensuring access to necessary health care services. When children don’t have health insurance, they are more likely to go without needed medical care, go without needed medications, and are more likely to miss preventive health care visits.2
In 2017, more than half—57 percent—of the
Commonwealth’s children received health insurance coverage
from MassHealth according to new data released by the federal Centers
for Medicaid and Medicare Services. This number includes approximately
555,000 children covered by Medicaid at some point in 2017, and 220,000
children covered by CHIP.3
For some of these children,
MassHealth provides primary coverage; and for others, MassHealth
supplements other insurance. MassHealth covers a wide range of
children, including MassHealth Standard for those in low-income
families, CHIP coverage for children in families with incomes up to
three times the official poverty level (approximately $75,300 for a
family of four), and CommonHealth coverage at a sliding fee scale for
children with disabilities at all incomes.4
Although Massachusetts lawmakers are currently debating proposals to reform health insurance payment and delivery systems, and there has been debate over the extent of MassHealth coverage for adults,5 the state’s coverage of children is a recognized success. As a result of decades’ long commitment to health reform and coverage expansions, Massachusetts continues to lead the nation in providing almost universal health insurance to children. Based on the most recent available U.S. census figures, 99 percent of children under age 19 in Massachusetts have health insurance.6
___________________________________1MassHealth includes both Medicaid and CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program for low- and moderate-income children who do not qualify for Medicaid. See Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, “MassHealth: The Basics,” p. 4. https://bluecrossmafoundation.org/sites/default/files/download/publication/MassHealthBasics_Chartpack_v10_Final%202017.pdf.
2https://www.aap.org/en-us/professional-resources/Research/Pages/The-Importance-of-Continuous-Health-Insurance-for-Children's-Access-To-Care.aspx.
4https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/02/14/fpl-deskguide.pdf and https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/12/07/130-cmr-505-000.doc.