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U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

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Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Report: Children's Health Coverage Better in VA, U.S.

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Thursday, October 27, 2016   

RICHMOND, Va. – A higher percentage of U.S. children have health insurance coverage than ever before, according to a study released today by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families.

The number in Virginia also is better.

The Georgetown study shows the number of uninsured children in Virginia fell by 10 percent.

Jill Hanken, an attorney with the Virginia Poverty Law Center, says there are still far too many children without coverage in the state, but the most recent numbers show a rapid improvement.

"The last two years, between 2013 and 2015, the number of uninsured children has gone down by 10,000, which is great," she points out.

According to the Georgetown study, nationally, the uninsured rate saw its sharpest two-year decline on record, as 95 percent of children had health coverage in 2015.

That's the highest rate that researchers could find in any recent statistics.

Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, notes that the drop in the number of uninsured children was widespread across income, racial and geographic lines.

She attributes it to major provisions of the Affordable Care Act complementing other important programs and policies.

"We see success around the country and I think this speaks to how, despite all of the fighting and very intense partisanship around the Affordable Care Act, we can feel good as a country that we've come together through Medicaid, CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) and the Affordable Care Act and really reduced the number of uninsured children," she states.

To do better, Alker says Virginia should consider expanding Medicaid.

She and Hanken say most of the Virginia children without insurance now probably qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, although their parents may not know it.

Hanken points out the rate of children without insurance is consistently much lower in Medicaid expansion states, because their parents sign their children up once they themselves connect.






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