February 8, 2010 - Racial/Ethnic Disparities among Children

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation has released a report entitled Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Access to Care among Children: How Does Medicaid Do in Closing the Gaps? This report analyzes data for more than 15,000 children from the 2003 and 2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a nationally representative household survey conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

SUMMARY

While Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) have become increasingly important sources of health coverage for low-income children in all racial and ethnic groups, these programs play an especially large role for children of color, who are more likely than white children to be low-income. In 2007, Medicaid and CHIP covered nearly one in five white children, but roughly two in five African American and Hispanic children.

This report provides an assessment of Medicaid’s relative impact on racial and ethnic disparities in access. The analysis compared health care access for white, African American and Hispanic children who were privately insured, uninsured, or enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP.

This report may be of interest to border health partners and others in the United States–México border region.

To view this report, click here: