Perinatal and Child Health

Perinatal and Child Health

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children is working to ensure that each birthing person and child has the opportunity for affordable access to quality health care.

Everyone, especially children and individuals during pregnancy into the postpartum period, should have health insurance and access to quality health care necessary for healthy birth outcomes, improved physical and mental health of a new mother, and a child’s healthy development into adolescence and through adulthood.

PPC’s perinatal and child health policy agenda aims to close gaps for those without health insurance by expanding eligibility and strengthening benefits—including physical and mental health services—and increasing access to nutritious food.

Perinatal and Child Health Policy Goals

  • Extend access to prenatal and postpartum services within Medicaid and CHIP for pregnant adults to ensure expecting mothers, infants and toddlers start and stay healthy.
  • Build on the success of Medicaid and CHIP to ensure every Pennsylvania child is insured.
  • Promote positive health outcomes for children directly from Medicaid, CHIP and the Affordable Care Act.
  • Ensure children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP have adequate benefits to meet their needs and receive the well-child visits, immunizations, and screenings necessary for their healthy development and access to mental health and dental health services.
  • Promote efforts to identify and prevent lead exposure in children to ensure their healthy development.
  • Advance policies that support children identified with developmental delays and disabilities through early intervention programs while also providing ongoing support to parents and providers.
  • Increase access to healthy nutrition for women and young children to ensure healthy development.

Health Insurance Options for Pennsylvania Children

Pennsylvania families turn to Medicaid, CHIP, and Pennie™ for no-cost or low-cost health insurance options.

Even families with higher incomes who don’t qualify for Medicaid or financial assistance can opt to purchase a CHIP health insurance plan through the state’s buy-in program.

Families can enroll their children in Medicaid and CHIP year-round and get the peace of mind of knowing they’re covered.

Medicaid 1-866-550-4355 or online

CHIP 1-800-986-KIDS (5437) or online

Pennie™ 1-844-844-8040 or online

Health Care Publications

Click here to browse

Prenatal-to-Age-Three Publications

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Thriving PA Campaign

The well-being of Pennsylvania’s families depends on mothers, infants, and toddlers having equitable access to quality health and nutrition support.

PPC is a partner of the non-partisan statewide Thriving PA campaign that seeks to improve the quality of and increase equitable access to a coordinated system of health supports, including access to comprehensive perinatal health services, children’s health insurance, nutrition supports, and lead screening and abatement.

 

To learn more, visit thrivingpa.org.

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Fast Facts about Perinatal and Child Health in PA

  • Pennsylvania has the 5th highest number of uninsured children in the country, with 145,000 without health insurance.
  • 5.2% of Pennsylvania children under 19 have no health insurance, marking a significant increase from the prior year at 4.4%.
  • Pennsylvania is 1 of 4 states to offer a CHIP buy-in program that allows higher income families to purchase health insurance through the state.
  • Half (51%) of Pennsylvania children rely on Medicaid or CHIP coverage to meet their health care needs.
  • 45,263 infants and toddlers in Pennsylvania receive services through Early Intervention Part C.
  • Non-Hispanic Black women in Pennsylvania experienced pregnancy-associated deaths at a rate 2x that of Non-Hispanic White women.
  • In 2018, there were 85 pregnancy-associated deaths in Pennsylvania.
  • Only 56% of eligible infants, young children, and women participate in the Pennsylvania WIC program.