The program served over 17,000 children and pregnant women in the year 2000. Lack of access to health care has impacts on pregnant women and children that are extreme and irreparable, and that will, ultimately, have adverse consequences for all of us in the future. It is imperative that Healthy Kids, New Hampshire's Children's Health Insurance Program continues. Children's access to heath care is not only a health issue, but it is an education issue as well. Children without health insurance are sick more frequently than insured children, and miss more school.
Uninsured children have undetected vision, hearing, and respiratory problems.
As part of a recent Community Needs Assessment by the UWGS, a brief survey of school nurses, who are out there in the front lines with sick children every day - found that many children are not getting the medical and dental care they need clearly showing that the Children's Health Insurance Program needs to be expanded, rather than phased out. Poor school attendance means that uninsured children are more likely to experience academic failure and are more likely to drop out of school. Young people who leave school have reduced earning potential throughout their lives. They are more likely to live in poverty, require public assistance and become single parents. These are our future teachers, doctors, lawyers and legislators.