The CT Kid’s Report Card has collected data on annual health insurance rates for children up to 18 years old from 2008 to 2013. This includes private sector insurance generally provided through work, as well as insurance provided through the public sector, such as Medicare and Medicaid. Children receiving health insurance from the State Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) are counted as having health insurance. Since 2008, there’s been a 3.38% increase in children with health insurance. Every major race saw an increase since 2008, starting with Black children (4.6%), White children (4.43%), and Hispanic children (3.4%). All other races saw a 1.8% increase in the total number of insured children during the six-year period.

Giving children access to high-quality, affordable health care is crucial to their development and wellbeing. Health insurance promotes immunizations that protect them and their communities from serious diseases, identifies and treats recurring illnesses, provides access for urgent care services, and improves overall school attendance and performance. While some perceive the cost of health insurance as onerous and the process of obtaining it difficult insurance costs between 2014-2015 have declined 3-8% for individuals and families, and programs like Medicaid and HUSKY are often low-cost or free for lower-income families. The most substantial factor in the cost to health insurance is caring for the uninsured. According to the CASBHC, uninsured parents often delay seeking healthcare for their children. This delay results in families relying on critical emergency department services that are inherently reactive, rather than proven preventative screenings. Screenings allow for early detection of significant illnesses, immediate treatments, and lower rates of missed diagnoses.

The expansion of health insurance under the Affordable Care Act was a primary national catalyst for increasing the rates of people with health insurance. At the state level, school based health centers have been providing additional quality health care services for children. This led the General Assembly and the governor to adopt Public Act No. 15-59, An Act Concerning School Based Health Centers. This law, which took effect in October 2015 defines "school-based health center" and allows the commissioner of DPH to adopt minimum-quality standards for school-based health centers.

• Department of Public Health
• Connecticut Association for School Based Health Centers
• Office of the Healthcare Advocate

• Partner with Access Health CT to encourage youths under 21 years of age to obtain primary care.
• Develop and implement an education campaign for parents around patient-centered medical homes.
• Identify cultural barriers to using primary care physicians.
• Support school-based health centers, community health centers, and other community-based organizations.

Strategies provided by the Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers (CTASBHC)