Today, the U.S. Census Bureau released new health insurance data, revealing good news for Kentuckians. The data shows an increase in health insurance coverage rates for people of all ages in Kentucky from 85.7 percent in 2013 to 94.0 percent in 2015. Kentucky’s overall coverage rate is now tied with two other states at 10th in the nation.
The one-year estimates from the American Community Survey revealed that 95.8 percent of Kentucky children under age 18 had health insurance in 2015, compared with 94.1 percent in 2013. This is an estimated increase of 12,000 children. The data from 2013 provides a benchmark for comparison, as more low-income adults became eligible for coverage through Medicaid expansion in January 2014.
We are not only glad that Kentucky’s child coverage rates continue to increase, but that adult insurance rates have improved, as well. We know that when parents have health insurance, their children are more likely to have health insurance and they are more likely to take their children to the doctor for preventive care.
Eligibility for children in the Medicaid program and the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP) did not change from 2013 to 2015, indicating that the increases in coverage for children were likely an indirect result of more parents gaining health insurance through Medicaid expansion and Kentucky’s health insurance exchange, kynect.
While Kentucky continues to reduce its uninsured population, proposed changes to the Medicaid program by the Bevin Administration through an 1115 Waiver could reverse Kentucky’s gains in health coverage. The proposal would add more requirements for individuals covered under Medicaid expansion to maintain Medicaid coverage. If individuals fail to keep up the requirements, they will lose coverage.
Governor Bevin submitted his Administration’s 1115 Medicaid Waiver proposal to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and it is now open for public comment until October 8. After this timeframe, the Bevin Administration will be in a period of negotiation with CMS over the final waiver proposal. The proposal must be approved by CMS before it can be implemented in Kentucky.
As child advocates, we are concerned with many components of Governor Bevin’s 1115 Medicaid waiver proposal and we need your help.
We are counting on you to raise your voice by submitting public comments to CMS on the Bevin Administration’s 1115 Medicaid Waiver proposal.
As a longtime Human Resource professional I see the benefit of family health insurance, with healthier happier more productive employees and parents. The Kynect/Medicaid impact has been tremendous for our employees who have not had insurance, nor a doctor. Now they also save money as they do not have to wait until they must go to ER for treatment.
A number of provisions in the 1115 Medicaid Waiver proposal create barriers to parents maintaining health insurance. Parents’ health is vitally important to children’s health, and if parents are going to improve health outcomes for themselves and their children, the Medicaid program must be simple for families to understand, participate in, and utilize. Also, if parents lose health insurance due to added requirements and cost-sharing mechanisms, children across Kentucky are likely to also lose coverage even if those children’s eligibility and benefits do not change.
The longterm benefits will be tremendous if we can just give them time. Good health and wellness for Kentuckians is a Godsend! A little patience is needed to get there!
Thank you for your comment, Sharon. Please submit your comment on the 1115 Medicaid Waiver proposal to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The link to submit is in our action alert: https://kyyouth.org/waystoact/act-now-submit-comments-to-cms-on-proposed-changes-to-kentucky-medicaid-program/