Coverage for children has been of particular concern for advocates in the state and nationally, because kids are often eligible for different coverage than their parents.
“When you have an adult who … knows they’re not eligible anymore, they’re assuming that their three kids aren’t,” said Carolyn Myers, of advocacy group Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children.
The lack of data on this aspect of the Medicaid transition is due to an IT issue involving CHIP unrelated to the Medicaid changes and is very frustrating, Myers said.
“We want to reduce the uninsured rate for children by keeping kids covered in Medicaid or CHIP,” she said. “And we don’t know if that’s happening.”