The Roosevelt Institution
All states receive federal funds to provide health insurance to poor children. These government funds (SCHIP) are matched by equal or greater state funds. While federal funds cannot be used to cover the undocumented children of immigrants, New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island all provide health insurance to undocumented children using their matching funds. Connecticut has no such program, but we would be preparing a proposal for changing this.
Health insurance coverage for undocumented children is important because they are just as deserving of coverage and healthcare as children of legal residents yet often receive far inferior care, if any. When SCHIP was first implemented, covered children were shown to have improved health in just one year as measured by fewer school absences because of illness as well as a number of other indicators. Healthier children are more successful in school and well children tend to have fewer health problems later in life.
Group members:
Hannah Lupien
Kira Newman
Matthew S Durstenfeld
Walker S Frahm
Eva M Galvan
Benjamin Long
Rebecca Serbin
Efan Wu