Published online October 27, 2009
PEDIATRICS Vol. 124 Supplement November 2009, pp. S246-S254 (doi:10.1542/peds.2009-1100M)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Currie, J.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Currie, J.
Related Collections
Right arrow Office Practice
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

SUPPLEMENT ARTICLE


Policy Interventions to Address Child Health Disparities: Moving Beyond Health Insurance

Janet Currie, PhD

Department of Economics, Columbia University, New York, New York and National Bureau of Economic Research, New York, New York

A full accounting of the excess burden of poor health in childhood must include any continuing loss of productivity over the life course. Including these costs results in a much higher estimate of the burden than focusing only on medical costs and other shorter-run costs to parents (such as lost work time). Policies designed to reduce this burden must go beyond increasing eligibility for health insurance, because disparities exist not only in access to health insurance but also in take-up of insurance, access to care, and the incidence of health conditions. We need to create a comprehensive safety net for young children that includes automatic eligibility for basic health coverage under Medicaid unless parents opt out by enrolling children in a private program; health and nutrition services for pregnant women and infants; quality preschool; and home visiting for infants and children at risk. Such a program is feasible and would be relatively inexpensive.

Key Words: disparities • policy interventions

Abbreviations: WIC—Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children • ADHD—attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder • SCHIP—State Children's Health Insurance Program • NFP—Nurse Family Partnership

Accepted Jul 20, 2009.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 PediatricsHome page
M. Lillie-Blanton
Approaches to Solving Health Disparities Panel Reflections
Pediatrics, November 1, 2009; 124(Supplement_3): S255 - S256.
[Full Text] [PDF]