skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Multiple victims following a shooting incident on the UNLV campus; research in Georgia receives a boost for Alzheimer's treatments and cure; and a new environmental justice center helps Nebraska communities and organizations.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump says he would be a dictator for one day if he wins, Kevin McCarthy is leaving the body he once led and Biden says not passing aid for Ukraine could embolden Putin.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Texas welcomes more visitors near Big Bend but locals worry the water won't last, those dependent on Colorado's Dolores River fear the same but have found common ground solutions, and a new film highlights historical healthcare challenges in rural Appalachia.

Despite Stable Numbers for WI, Concerns Linger Over Kids' Uninsured Rate

play audio
Play

Thursday, December 8, 2022   

A new report found Wisconsin is holding the line in preventing children from going without health insurance, but advocates for families who qualify argued more efficiencies are needed to help them stay enrolled in key programs.

The latest summary from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families looks at the uninsured rates for children across the country. From 2019 to 2021, Wisconsin saw a slight uptick in the number of children lacking health coverage, with the number now at 54,000.

William Parke-Sutherland, health policy analyst for the group Kids Forward, said despite the small increase, work is needed to help Medicaid-eligible families avoid pitfalls in re-enrolling.

"Sometimes paperwork gets lost in the mail, sometimes it's sent to the wrong address, sometimes it's in a language folks have trouble understanding," Parke-Sutherland outlined.

Even though Wisconsin is holding steady, Parke-Sutherland pointed out its uninsured rate is still higher than all of its neighboring states, which have expanded Medicaid. Wisconsin has yet to do so. However, the Badger State is below the national rate of uninsured children, which stands at 5.4%.

Beyond some of the typical enrollment barriers, the report's authors warned extra federal support for Medicaid during the pandemic will eventually lapse.

Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, said it could result in big coverage gaps around the U.S.

"The bad news is that this continuous coverage protection is likely to expire early next year," Alker noted. "And we have estimated that the child uninsured rate is very possibly going to double when that happens, which is a very scary thought."

In Wisconsin, Kids Forward said expanding Medicaid would close some of the gap. After the election, the state still has a divided government, and Republicans have thwarted recent attempts to join the expansion list, but Parke-Sutherland emphasized there is room for hope.

"South Dakota just voted to expand Medicaid," Parke-Sutherland observed. "Many, many red states have voted to expand Medicaid. "

Under the Affordable Care Act, states are given incentives to expand their Medicaid programs, with the federal government covering 90% of the costs.

Disclosure: The Georgetown University Center for Children and Families contributes to our fund for reporting on Children's Issues, and Health Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
A recent survey by the Anti-Defamation League found nearly three in four Jewish students in the U.S. have experienced or witnessed antisemitism this school year. The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights has also opened investigations into alleged Islamophobic incidents at least a half-dozen colleges and universities. (Adobe Stock)

play sound

College presidents testified before a congressional committee Tuesday on the rise of antisemitism on college campuses since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led …


Social Issues

play sound

There are some bright spots in beefing up local news coverage, but a new report says in North Dakota and elsewhere, there are still big concerns …

Health and Wellness

play sound

Holiday stress is a concern for most people, but when you mix in travel plans and chronic health issues, those worries might be elevated. A …


The average cost in Ohio for college tuition and fees is around $10,049 per year, according to the Education Data Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finds the repayment process for federal student loans has been filled with errors…

Environment

play sound

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife just announced a marine warden discovered an endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle dead, drowned …

A CARE Court treatment plan lasts up to two years and can assist with housing, medical care, addiction treatment, counseling, and more. (SB Arts Media/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

The state's largest county has just opened the new CARE Court system, designed to get help for severely mentally ill people in Los Angeles. CARE …

Environment

play sound

A Knoxville-based environmental group is voicing health and safety concerns about the development of a landfill for radioactive waste from the Y12 Ura…

Social Issues

play sound

California tribes are headed to the White House Tribal Nations Summit tomorrow, where they will ask Congress and the Biden administration to create …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021