skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

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

Post-presidential debate poll shows a shift in WI; Teamsters won't endorse in presidential race after releasing internal polling showing most members support Trump; IL energy jobs growth is strong but lacks female workers; Pregnant, Black Coloradans twice as likely to die than the overall population.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Teamsters choose not to endorse a presidential candidate, county officials in Texas fight back against state moves to limit voter registration efforts, and the FBI investigate suspicious packages sent to elections offices in at least 17 states.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

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.

Most MN Kids Insured, But National Trend Raises Concerns

play audio
Play

Friday, November 1, 2019   

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A new report says the U.S. has seen an increase of 400,000 children going without health-care coverage in the last few years. The findings from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families blame federal efforts to scale back the Affordable Care Act.

Minnesota saw a slight decrease in its number of uninsured kids between 2016 and 2018, but children's advocates worry about how long the state can hold the line.

Elizabeth Lukanen, deputy director at the State Health Access Data Assistance Center at the University of Minnesota, says the national conversation creates concern.

"The concern is that if parents aren't going to sign up for coverage because the mandate isn't in effect, if there's less outreach dollars, you know, and less enrollment assistance for parents, that they're not going to sign up,” says Lukanen. “And potentially, they're not getting their kids signed up."

She that's why Minnesota needs to build on its reputation for having strong outreach efforts to enroll families in public insurance programs, which could prevent the state from falling behind like other states.

Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown Center, says even states like Minnesota, that are trying on their own to get more kids covered, are treading water because of lack of federal support. Alker says between funding cuts, more red tape and anti-immigrant policies, the last few years have reversed almost a decade of headway in getting kids insured.

"That has turned around now, and what's clear from this new data is that the country is going in the wrong direction,” says Alker. “And we see that it's very hard for any state to make progress with some of the negative national trends that are happening."

The report says Minnesota's number of uninsured children was down, but only by 1,000 – with the state's rate sitting at 3.3%. The national rate is 5.2%.

Disclosure: Georgetown University Center for Children & Families contributes to our fund for reporting on Children's Issues, 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
Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …


Social Issues

play sound

From gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to Superintendent of Public Instruction hopeful Michele Morrow, some Republicans running for office have …

Social Issues

play sound

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …


The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

Social Issues

play sound

This week, National Voter Registration Day was another timely reminder for Ohioans preparing for the 2024 general election. The latest reports from …

The American Heart Association said caregivers often experience personal and spiritual growth, discovering their own resilience, competence and capacity for sacrifice as they help a friend or loved one. (Justlight/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Self-Care Awareness Month and the American Heart Association in Missouri is urging caregivers to take some much-needed time for themselve…

Environment

play sound

In Virginia's waters, the decline of a small but critically important fish is causing growing concern among conservation groups and fishermen alike…

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

 

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