By Linda Dixon, MCJ Director, Health Justice
The uninsured rate for our nation’s youngest children is rising at an alarming pace, and the trend should be a wake-up call for Mississippi’s policymakers. After years of progress, more infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are going without health insurance. It’s a troubling reversal that puts young children’s health and development at risk while adding financial stress for families already stretched thin by rising costs.
A new report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF) shows that almost 10,000 children ages 0-6 were uninsured in Mississippi in 2024. That’s a 5.4% increase in just two years. The findings highlight what’s at stake for our youngest children: More young children are losing coverage. Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers are seeing sharper coverage losses than older children; and coverage protects families from rising costs. Health insurance helps families afford care, avoid medical debt, and give young children a healthier, more stable start.
Research shows that Medicaid coverage for children is linked to better access to care and improved health, education, and economic outcomes in adulthood. Access to health care is especially important for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, who require frequent visits to the doctor during their earliest years of life. When young children are insured, families have a better chance of detecting developmental delays and other health issues that can affect a child’s ability to learn. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 12 checkups by the time a toddler turns 3, helping ensure children are developing properly and receiving the preventive care they need.
More recent enrollment data adds to the concern. Georgetown CCF’s Medicaid and CHIP enrollment tracker has recorded 14,500 fewer children enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP since January 2025 in Mississippi. This increase in uninsured young children is a real warning sign, but it’s preventable. We can reverse this trend by making it easier for eligible children to enroll in and stay covered by monitoring and enforcing policies like continuous coverage, which ensures children don’t experience gaps in their health care. Federal Medicaid law requires every state to ensure 12 months of continuous eligibility for children under 19.
We can all agree that no child should have to go without health care—make enrollment easier, invest in outreach, and expand Medicaid to cover more parents, reducing the number of uninsured young children and keeping families healthier overall.
What is the Mississippi Center for Justice doing about this problem?
The Mississippi Center for Justice (MCJ) is working to ensure that Mississippi’s children and families have access to affordable health coverage by advocating for policies that reduce barriers to enrollment and retention in Medicaid and CHIP. Through its Health Justice Division, MCJ engages in policy advocacy, outreach and education, and collaboration with partner organizations to identify and address gaps in health coverage. MCJ also supports efforts to strengthen Medicaid policies and increase enrollment among eligible children and families, recognizing that continuous health coverage is essential to improving health outcomes and ensuring that Mississippi’s youngest children receive the preventive care they need to thrive.
Resources
Families interested in applying for Medicaid coverage can find eligibility information and application assistance through the Mississippi Division of Medicaid at Mississippi Division of Medicaid.
To learn more about the findings highlighted in this blog, listen to the interview discussing the issue brief at Public News Service Interview on Children’s Health Coverage in Mississippi.
For additional information about health coverage issues or to share your story, please contact the Mississippi Center for Justice’s Health Justice Team at health@mscenterforjustice.org. Our team is available to answer questions and learn more about the experiences of Mississippi families as we work to increase greater access to health care for children and families.