Most children eligible for public health programs are from working families, and their parents may not realize they qualify for coverage.

The uninsured kids who did get medical care did not always see a doctor when they needed one, the report notes. Uninsured children were 10 times more likely to go without the medical care they needed, compared to insured children (6.2 percent vs. 0.65 percent).

Public Coverage Is Available

"Everyone in America needs access to affordable health coverage, but when the health of a child is at stake, the need is all the more urgent," said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, MBA., president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

"Back-to-school season is an ideal time to make sure that children have the health coverage they need, because it's easier to do well in school when you feel well. No child in America should have to go without a doctor's visit or skip needed care, and no parent should have to make that decision," Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey added.

"Low-cost or free coverage is available for seven out of 10 uninsured children," she noted.

"State insurance programs designed to cover children have provided low-cost or free healthcare coverage to millions of children in recent years, but there are millions more who are still eligible," said Sarah Shuptrine, national program director of Covering Kids & Families, a nationwide effort to enroll eligible children in public coverage programs during the back-to-school season.

"Many people still do not know about the availability of these programs, and parents in working families might assume their children would not qualify. That is why we are all committed to publicizing 1 (877) KIDS-NOW to let parents know that help is available," Shuptrine added.

Kids from Working Families Qualify

The number of uninsured children in America has decreased by nearly 2 million since 1998 -- even though 1.2 million more parents became uninsured -- largely due to enrollment in government programs, according to the RWJF research released today.

Many uninsured children are eligible, but not enrolled, in low-cost or free health care coverage through Medicaid or the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

Most children eligible for these programs are from working families, and their parents may not realize they qualify even though they are employed.