Health Care Reform and Children: Planning and Design Considerations for Policymakers

Several of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) key provisions are aimed specifically at children, but much of the law focuses on covering the larger uninsured population of adults without dependent children. As states focus on implementing these ACA coverage programs and other systemic changes by January 1, 2014, it will be important that children’s coverage remains a priority as well. This report explains some challenges and opportunities for making health care reform work for children. The report, developed with the support of The Atlantic Philanthropies, draws upon lessons learned from state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP), federal policy, and relevant research.