Center Presents Benefits of Coverage for Children to Idaho Legislative Committee

The Center’s Executive Director, Chuck Milligan, presented information on the benefits of pursuing health insurance coverage for children and adolescents in Idaho on January 9 at the Cover Idaho Kids Coalition Meeting and Research Discussion. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson State Coverage Initiatives program administered by AcademyHealth, these presentations gave an overview of research and literature that shows the positive relationship between health insurance coverage and good health outcomes. Milligan discussed the benefits of coverage to the child, the family, the community, and the system: that insurance coverage allows children and their families to access health care earlier, which can prevent more serious health problems and illnesses, thereby avoiding the need to use more expensive services, such as emergency rooms. Laura Spicer, a research assistant at the Center, reviewed the literature for the presentations.

January 10, 2008