Maintain Medicaid Children’s Continuity of Care - 03/14/2017
Currently, children in Texas Medicaid only have continuous periods of eligible coverage for six months at a time unlike most plans offered in the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the commercial insurance setting. As a pediatrician who cares for children in Medicaid every day, I know the value this coverage brings them. In fact, the value of Medicaid grows exponentially the longer a child has continuous coverage. As their primary care physician, I am able to maintain a relationship with the family providing needed anticipatory guidance to prevent unnecessary injuries. I can manage a child’s complex condition — physical or mental — to ensure they remain productive in school and healthy into adulthood. Continuity of care can be jeopardized if the child churns on and off Medicaid for any reason.