Children must be insured as early as possible to have the healthiest start possible. By age 3, children should have 12 well-child visits according to the schedule set by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
These regular, preventive visits to the doctor or pediatrician are essential for tracking a child’s growth and development, providing immunizations, and identifying and addressing delays or concerns.
Yet, in Pennsylvania, 26,500 children under the age of 3 do not have health insurance.
Similar to the uninsured trend for all kids in Pennsylvania between 2021-2022, the number and rate for kids under age 3 without health insurance increased significantly.
This means too many of our youngest children are not receiving critical health care in those early years when their brains are growing most rapidly, putting their healthy development at risk. Thriving PA is working to reverse this troubling trend.
Policy Priorities
Our priority is to educate families about free or low-cost, affordable options for health insurance through Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the state-based marketplace Pennie™, and to work with state officials on policy improvements to ensure families can easily apply and keep their coverage.
Use the following numbers or links for more information on applying for children’s health insurance:
- Medicaid 1-866-550-4355 or online
- CHIP 1-800-986-KIDS (5437) or online
- Pennie™ 1-844-844-8040 or online