Today, more than 11 million American children lack health insurance and the number increases every year. America's Children is a comprehensive, easy-to-read analysis of the relationship between health insurance and access to care. The book addresses three broad questions: How is children's health care currently financed? Does insurance equal access to care? How should the nation address the health needs of this vulnerable population? Topics explored include:
-- The changing role of Medicaid under managed care.
-- State-initiated and private sector children's insurance programs.
-- Specific effects of insurance status on the care children receive.
-- The impact of chronic medical conditions and special health care needs.
-- The status of "safety net" health providers: community health centers, children's hospitals, school-based health centers, and others.
-- Private-sector, employer-based health insurance: the changing patterns of coverage and tax policy options to increase coverage.