More than 153,000 children in Pennsylvania are uninsured — the highest number in a decade — as rising costs, policy changes, and expiring federal supports make it harder for families to keep coverage.
That’s about 5% of children in the commonwealth.
“We’re moving into a time period where we’re just going to see the connection to health insurance get even harder…we’re very concerned,” said Becky Ludwick, vice president of public policy for the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, a child welfare and education nonprofit based in Harrisburg.
The assessment comes from a report that analyzes public data on children’s health insurance from January to June of 2024 and the factors that contribute to a child’s likelihood of being uninsured, including family income, race and ethnicity, geography, and age.