New Data: Nearly 5 Million Children in America are Needlessly Uninsured

Secretary Thompson Helps Kick Off Enrollment Drive; Senators Hatch and Kennedy Honored on 5th Anniversary of SCHIP

Washington, DC - Nearly 5 million children in the United States who currently lack health insurance are eligible for low-cost and free health care coverage through the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and Medicaid, but they are not enrolled. Covering Kids released new state-by-state data, compiled by the Urban Institute, that quantify the number of children who are needlessly uninsured. Using these data to illustrate the need to reach families immediately, Covering Kids launched the Back-to-School 2002 enrollment drive today with the help of Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson.

"It is shocking to think that nearly 5 million children are uninsured when they do not have to be," said Dr. Steven A. Schroeder, President and CEO of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). "Nationally, there are 8 million uninsured children. If we can enroll all children who are currently eligible for SCHIP and Medicaid, we would cut the number of uninsured kids to less than half of what it is today."

"In a country as generous and compassionate as ours, every child should have good health coverage," said Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. "We in the Bush Administration are doing all we can to achieve that goal, since every life is precious and no child should be left behind. That's why I'm proud to partner with Covering Kids in its effort to enroll every eligible child in these programs."

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation honored Senators Orrin Hatch, (R-UT) and Edward Kennedy, (D-MA) for their leadership roles in creating SCHIP.

"We commend Senators Hatch and Kennedy for safeguarding the health of our nation's children and creating this landmark children's health care coverage program," said Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, Senior Vice President and President Designate, RWJF. "There is still work to be done. The real tragedy is that even with great programs in place, too many children are still uninsured."

"Every child in America deserves an opportunity for a healthy start in life, and these programs help provide that healthy start," said Senator Kennedy. "No family should have to fear that the loss of a job or an increase in their insurance premium will leave their child without health care. I am pleased that millions of America's children benefit from these programs. It's now time to get the others who are eligible enrolled."

"For working families around the country, the CHIP and Medicaid programs have given parents peace of mind," said Senator Hatch. "CHIP is a legislative success story; we saw the need to provide health insurance for the poorest of the poor working families who weren't eligible for Medicaid, and the

Congress passed legislation in record time to fill the need. Today, parents with children enrolled in these health care coverage programs are no longer deciding whether to pay their electric bill or take their child to the doctor."

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, eight out of 10 uninsured children are in working families. Three-quarters of these families do not have access to an employer-provided health plan that covers children.

Covering Kids, a national program of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), works to connect uninsured children to low-cost and free health care coverage programs available in every state and the District of Columbia. During the third annual Back-to-School enrollment drive, Covering Kids coalitions, along with national and local organizations, will hold more than 1,000 outreach events coast to coast to reach families as they prepare their children for a successful school year.

"As a pediatrician, I know that health care coverage from day one is critical to a child's long-term health," said Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, pediatrician and nationally known parenting expert. "If we want our children to be successful, we have a chance to start by giving them the health care coverage they need and deserve."

According to the most recent Current Population Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, 25 percent of Latino children and more than 13 percent of African-American children are uninsured. Most of these children are eligible for SCHIP and Medicaid. As part of the Back-to-School effort, Covering Kids will launch an intensified outreach effort to reach Latino and African-American parents with information about low-cost and free health care coverage for their children. The effort includes national and regional television, radio and print advertising in Spanish-language and African-American media, as well as enrollment drives in Latino and African-American communities. Coordinated regional launches of Back-to-School 2002 are planned for Los Angeles, CA, and Houston, TX.

"The number of uninsured children in the Latino and African-American communities is shocking," said Dr. Elmer E. Huerta, Founder and President of Prevención, Inc. "Our work here is clear. We must reach out to parents in these communities and inform them about SCHIP and Medicaid. Parents want their children to be healthy, and these programs are there to help."

A team of corporate partners will assist Covering Kids in this effort to reach parents of eligible uninsured kids. For example, in select states, CVS/pharmacy will provide SCHIP and Medicaid enrollment information with new and refilled prescriptions for all children through age 18 during the back to school period. More than 3,000 stores in 21 states and the District of Columbia will participate. Giant Food, Inc. will include information about SCHIP and Medicaid enrollment on 380,000 milk cartons reaching families in four states and the District of Columbia this fall.

"Covering Kids is working hand-in-hand with the business community to reach out to families," said Sarah Shuptrine, Director of the Covering Kids National Program Office. "Through these partnerships we can reach potentially eligible families where they shop, pick up prescriptions, and go out to eat."

More than 100 national organizations are joining Covering Kids in this campaign. The What to Expect Foundation (WTEF), a non-profit group that takes its name from the best-selling What to Expect pregnancy and parenting guidebook series, announced a plan to disseminate fliers with information about low-cost and free health care coverage to thousands of health care providers and pregnant women. They will distribute these fliers with 100,000 copies of Baby Basics, a free book developed by the WTEF for low-income pregnant women.

"As important as counting their little fingers and toes, is accounting for your newborn's health insurance coverage," says Heidi Murkoff, author of the best-selling What To Expect pregnancy and parenting series and president of WTEF. "Enrolling a child for health care coverage is easy with the SCHIP and Medicaid programs. I hope this campaign will help us count on a future generation of healthy children."

Families can learn more about low-cost and free health care coverage for children by calling toll-free 1(877) KIDS-NOW. Callers will be connected to their appropriate state programs.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based in Princeton, NJ, is the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving health and health care of all Americans.