Uninsured Children Cost State More

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) Utah lawmakers scraped together 4-million new dollars this year to expand health care coverage for uninsured children. A new report published in this month's Pediatrics journal proves that money will save millions in the long run:
"Treating children in a timely way, making sure they have immunizations, catching ear infections early or tooth decay . . . it's much, much cheaper than ending up in an emergency room," says Karen Crompton of Voices for Utah Children.

Crompton estimates Utah spends about 25-dollars a month per child enrolled in CHIP - the state's health insurance program for children. The federal government contributes another 100-dollars per child each month.

The study in Pediatrics finds children who fall off the state's health coverage program end up costing 21-hundred dollars a year in emergency visits and care. Arizona data was used in the study, but the authors say the cost analysis applies to many states, including Utah.

Crompton says the Legislature's new commitment to CHIP proves they "get it":

"I think they're beginning to understand that really covering kids is cheap, it's effective and it works," says Crompton.

Utah Senator Orrin Hatch is driving an effort to reauthorize federal funding for state-based children's health insurance programs.

In July, Utah's CHIP program will open for enrollment and remain open indefinitely. Families qualify based on income and size of household.

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