The new grant will enable the state, working with health providers, businesses and advocates, to identify and enroll approximately 90,000 uninsured children in either the Medicaid program or the federally approved State Children's Health Insurance Program. This outreach effort will be led by AACF, a statewide, independent, nonprofit, child advocacy organization. Eligible children need to actually be enrolled in programs in order to benefit from them. In Arkansas, the program will target two counties - Polk County, an isolated rural community in southwest Arkansas, and Craighead County in east Arkansas, the poorest region in Arkansas. Activities could include streamlining application and eligibility verification processes, formalizing referral systems, creating statewide education efforts and developing community-based outreach efforts.
Uninsured children are also less likely to seek care for injuries or to be immunized.
However, children who are insured have better access to preventive and primary care. Such care improves their overall well-being and increases their potential to become healthy, productive adults. The information contained herein is not copyrighted. All information gathered from this Web site about its visitors will be kept confidential.