The major political discussions about health insurance in our country revolve around how to get more people covered. So it perplexed more than a few observers when the numbers of children covered by public health insurance programs like Medicaid and CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) appeared to dip last year.
California, because of its large population, showed one of the largest declines, though not by percentage. Was it an improving economy, or something else?
Dr. Cara James at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) keeps an eye on children's coverage. She visits with an overview and her take on trends, with an eye toward getting kids covered as the school year begins.