Children Without Health Insurance by Age
about their free or low-cost health coverage options, such as child care centers, community family centers, other family-serving programs, legislative offices, school districts, and after-school programs. Pennsylvania’s five counties with the highest child uninsured rates during 2022 also have the highest rates within both age groups, children under age 6 and school-age children: Juniata, Lebanon, Mifflin, Snyder, and Union.
4.6% 5.6% 4.4% 5.0% More young children (under age 6) in PA without health insurance More school-age children (6-18 years) in PA without health insurance
Counties with Highest Percent of Uninsured Children by Age Group
Source: PPC analysis, U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (1-year estimates), 2021-2022
The latest Census data shows that the statewide rates for children under age 6 and for children over age 6 without health insurance have significantly worsened since the prior year. Additionally, the gap between those statewide rates has grown larger, indicating younger children are increasingly more likely to go without coverage than older children. Looking at the county-level data, gaps exist between the age cohorts but are less distinct. While two-thirds of Pennsylvania counties have higher uninsured rates for younger children than school- age children, many are not significantly higher. This provides opportunities for a variety of partnerships to reach families with uninsured children of all ages
Uninsured Under Age 6
Uninsured School-Age
County
Lebanon
19% 21% 21% 21% 21%
23% 19% 19% 19% 19%
Juniata
Mifflin
Snyder
Union
Juniata, Mifflin, Snyder, and Union counties in the central part of the state continue to have the highest uninsured rates for the youngest children at 21%, although it represents a slight improvement from the prior year. Conversely, the uninsured rates for school-age children in those same counties have worsened, rising from 12% to 19%. Lebanon County has the highest uninsured rate for children of all 67 counties, with 21% uninsured. It also has the highest uninsured rate for school-age children at 23%, which has nearly doubled since the prior year. Its uninsured rate for younger children has also significantly worsened, tripling from the previous 6% to currently 19% without coverage. One contributing factor may be the increase in children who are eligible for Medicaid but are uninsured, noted later in this report.
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The 2023 State of Children’s Health in Pennsylvania
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