In Michigan, children’s health coverage is slipping just as it is nationally, according to a report from the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University.
The report shows the uninsured rate among kids climbed across the U.S. from just over 5% in 2022 to 6% in 2024, and the state saw a statistically significant increase among its youth as well.
Amber Bellazaire with the Michigan League for Public Policy says there are practical steps the state can take to make it easier for families to keep their children covered.
“Simplifying the process, automating certain things, self-attestation for folks who are submitting paperwork and all the rest tends to make it a little bit less cumbersome for families,” Bellazaire said.
The center’s report also shows states that used smoother renewal systems fared better. Joan Alker with Georgetown’s Center for Children and Families warns lapses in health coverage can have serious consequences for kids and their parents.
“An accident on the playground or untreated asthma can result in trips to the emergency room, which costs thousands of thousands of dollars, potentially sending families into debt and bankruptcy,” Alker said.
The center says many kids who lost coverage were probably still eligible but got tripped up by red tape.
Michigan now joins more than 20 states with statistically significant increases in uninsured children. Georgetown says monitoring monthly state enrollment data and improving renewal systems will be key to preventing further losses.
