The number of Hispanic children covered by medical insurance has increased in Arizona, but the state’s uninsured rate remains above the national average.
Arizona is among the top 10 states with the largest number of Hispanic children, estimated at more than 703,000, according to a study issued by Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute and the National Council of La Raza.
More Hispanic children nationwide had health coverage in 2014 than 2013, due in large part to the Affordable Care Act. Of the 10 states with the largest number of Hispanic children, four states had rates of uninsured children below the national average and two were not statistically different than the average.
Arizona was one of four states in 2014 with uninsured rates “significantly higher” than the national average of 9.7 percent, at 12.7 percent. The Arizona uninsured rate dropped 2.4 percent from 2013, the researchers said.
There are an estimated 89,000 Hispanic children in Arizona with no health coverage.
Across all Arizona children, 10 percent do not have health insurance. Nationally that rate is 6 percent.
Arizona is the only state that does not accept federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, called KidsCare, which the study authors cite as contributing to the state’s above-average rate. A bill is before the Arizona Legislature to restore KidsCare for families that make too much to qualify for Medicaid.
Joe Fu is the health policy director for the Children’s Action Alliance, an Arizona advocacy organization that supports restoration of KidsCare.
“We do know that among Hispanic children there are higher rates of uninsurance, so I think that the (KidsCare) program would really be helpful not just for all children in the state but also to help address the high rates of uninsurance among Hispanic kids as well,” Fu said.
Fu said health care coverage “addresses the physical, mental and developmental health needs of all kids. Health coverage helps improve their educational outcomes and they perform better and school and are not sick.”
