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Family Coverage: Covering Parents Along with  Their Children

Summary While much progress has been made over the last decade in lowering the rate of uninsured children, the uninsured rate for parents remains significantly higher than for their children—and it has been growing rather than declining (Figure 1). The primary reason for these very different coverage rates is that while employer based coverage has eroded for both children and their parents, publicly funded coverage programs (Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program; SCHIP) have more than offset the declines for children. States, however, can take steps similar to those that have been taken on behalf of children to expand coverage to parents and to ensure that those who are eligible are enrolled. With increased interest at the state level on finding solutions to the health care crises, covering parents is a logical “next step” for many states.

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Framing the Issue