The Looming Equity Crisis in Children’s Health Care: Federal and State Action Is Needed to Prevent Millions of Children from Losing Medicaid

Two years of unprecedented Medicaid coverage protections during the COVID-19 pandemic prevented mass coverage losses at a time when families could least afford them. But now, at least 6.7 million children are likely to lose Medicaid when the Families First Coronavirus Response Act continuous coverage requirements expire and the public health emergency ends. States should do everything in their power to renew children’s coverage whenever available data show they remain eligible—and federal action can help ensure that they do. Families USA, UnidosUS, and First Focus Foundation for Children collaborated in working to prevent millions of children from losing coverage through this issue brief that lays out the scope of this problem and offers policy recommendations.