As the uninsured rate among children begins to increase over the last several years, President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act could play a crucial role in reversing the trend.
The act would also remove the requirement that the federal Children's Health Insurance Program has to renew funding annually, Joan Alker, executive director of the Center for Children and Families, told Public News Service.
"Hopefully this will provide an opportunity for stability in the CHIP program, to allow states to try to get to the finish line here and get all kids covered," Ms. Alker told Public News Service.
The move is in response to a recent growth in uninsured children.
Since dropping 5 percent over eight years to a 4.7 percent uninsured rate among children in 2016, the country is once again witnessing a spike, according to a Nov. 22 Georgetown University report. Uninsured rates among children rose 1 percent between 2016 and 2019 after years of declines.
Anne Discher, executive director of Common Good Iowa, told Public News Service that the act's new funding of home and community services could also improve access to care and allow families experiencing income instability to maintain coverage.
Another Georgetown University report said the act's required 12-month postpartum coverage period could help buck the trend.