CO: Leaving Children Uninsured Has Serious Consequences

Two Colorado pediatricians have authored a new study finding dire consequences as a result of the low insured status among our nation's children. The consequences are both borne by these children and by society as a whole. Children on Medicaid or who simply do not have insurance have twice the child mortality rate of insured children. And expanded primary and preventive care could save as much as $5 billion annually nationwide in hospitalizations due to serious illness. Expanding health insurance for children is already a relatively cheap thing to do. But this new evidence indicates that it might actually pose a net cost savings to taxpayers -- while reducing serious illness and death among our nation's children.