Introduction

This report presents the results of an analysis of the health insurance coverage of children in Iowa from birth to 18 years of age. The data are derived from the Iowa Child and Family Household Health Survey, which was conducted in the summer of 2000. Prior to this study there was little comprehensive information about health insurance coverage of children in Iowa. In this report, we present the level and types of health insurance coverage children have and compare a number of factors such as demographic characteristics and access to care for children with private insurance, those with Medicaid, and those who were uninsured at the time of the survey.

The Iowa Child and Family Household Health Survey

The 2000 Iowa Child and Family Household Health Survey is the first comprehensive statewide attempt to evaluate the health status, access to care and social environment of children in Iowa.
The telephone interviews included questions about:

- Functional health status
- Special health care needs
-Access to and utilization of health care services including:
+ Medical care
+ Dental care
+ Behavioral and emotional health care
- Health insurance coverage of the child and parent
- School performance
- Child care
- Socialization and self-esteem of the child
- Family environment

The study is a collaborative effort of the University of Iowa Public Policy Center, the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Child Health Specialty Clinics. The intent of the study is to provide information for policymakers and health planners about the status of families with children in Iowa from a social health perspective. It was funded by a competitive grant from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, and US Department of Health and Human Services.