Ensuring that children in Ohio have insurance coverage is important for many reasons. Children who have health insurance are more likely to have access to care, which can lead to improved health of the child through regular doctor’s visits and wellness checks. Further, health insurance coverage of children has effects on health care costs. Uninsured children are more likely to incur major medical costs as well as delay getting care, which can also increase costs. For more information on insurance and utilization of children in Ohio, see the OFHS report “Potentially Eligible Medicaid Population without Medicaid Coverage”.⁶

Fewer children in Ohio had job-based health insurance coverage in 2008 than in 2004. More children were covered by Medicaid/SCHIP in 2008 than in 2004. The decrease in the number of children with no health insurance from 2004 to 2008 is also significant. Further, fewer children were uninsured for part of the year in 2008 than in 2004.

Significantly more children with job-based health insurance who were insured all year in 2008 had a personal doctor or nurse than in 2004. Likewise, this same group of children had significantly more preventive care visits in 2008 than in 2004.