• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Current price of oil as of June 15, 2026

2

Current price of silver as of Monday, June 15, 2026

3

Meet Gwynne Shotwell, the engineer-turned-COO who runs SpaceX in platform heels and is now worth over $2 billion

1

Current price of oil as of June 15, 2026

2

Current price of silver as of Monday, June 15, 2026

3

Meet Gwynne Shotwell, the engineer-turned-COO who runs SpaceX in platform heels and is now worth over $2 billion
HealthHealth Insurance

Number of U.S. Children Without Health Insurance Grew in 2017 for the 1st Time in Almost a Decade

By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 29, 2018, 12:36 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The economy is strong, unemployment is down, and yet the number of uninsured children in the U.S. is up.

According to a new report from Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families, the percentage of children without health insurance grew in 2017 after years of decline.

The report said 276,000 more children did not have health insurance last year, increasing to 3.9 million in 2017 from 3.6 million in 2016. The latest measure represents 5% of children in the U.S. While not a huge increase from 4.7% the year before, it’s still viewed with concern.

The report’s authors note this is the first time in nearly a decade that the number of uninsured children increased, which is uncommon in periods of economic growth. “With an improving economy and a very low unemployment rate, the fact that our nation is going backwards on children’s health coverage is very troubling,” said Joan Alker, the center’s executive director. “Without serious efforts to get back on track, the decline in coverage is likely to continue in 2018 and may in fact get worse for America’s children.”

Alker and the other authors suggest the rise can be attributed to several reasons, with most, if not all, tied to the Trump administration and a Republican-controlled Congress. There have been attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and the successful reversal of the individual health insurance mandate. Additionally, the report cited the Trump administration’s decision to cut funding for Obamacare navigators who help people choose and sign up for their insurance plan.

Another likely cause of more uninsured children is shrinking Medicaid coverage for low-income adults, the report said. Three-quarters of children who lost coverage live in states that did not expand Medicaid and studies suggest that children are more likely to be insured when their parents are covered. A number of states, including South Dakota, Utah, and Florida, saw statistically significant increases in their rate of uninsured children. Texas had the largest share of uninsured children, where more than one in five uninsured children live.

For a number of months in 2017, Congress failed to approve funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, which threatened children’s coverage in several states. And finally, the authors note the threat of a Trump administration proposal that would make it harder for legal immigrants to get green cards if they receive public assistance may have discouraged them from applying for Medicaid out of fear of losing their status in the U.S.

Overall, the report found the share of children with employer-sponsored coverage in 2017 increased—a reflection of a strong economy. That was not the case for those who would be covered by the other programs previously mentioned, such as Medicaid, CHIP, or plans bought on the Obamacare exchanges.

About the Author
By Natasha Bach
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

mitch
North AmericaCongress
Mitch McConnell, 84, hospitalized with no details released; term ends in January
By The Associated PressJune 15, 2026
22 hours ago
target
HealthRecalls
FDA recalls Nara Organics baby formula after infant botulism cases in 3 states
By The Associated PressJune 15, 2026
23 hours ago
‘There simply isn’t enough product for the U.S. customer’: GLP-1 craze eats whey too much protein
RetailFood and drink
‘There simply isn’t enough product for the U.S. customer’: GLP-1 craze eats whey too much protein
By Dee-Ann Durbin and The Associated PressJune 14, 2026
2 days ago
Middle-aged adults taking GLP-1s for obesity can save over $192K on lifetime medical costs, higher if they don’t have college degrees, new study finds
HealthHealth
Middle-aged adults taking GLP-1s for obesity can save over $192K on lifetime medical costs, higher if they don’t have college degrees, new study finds
By Mia OsmonbekovJune 14, 2026
2 days ago
U.S.’s screwworm fix is still a year away, risking more spread
North AmericaAgriculture
U.S.’s screwworm fix is still a year away, risking more spread
By Ilena Peng and BloombergJune 13, 2026
2 days ago
Meet the lone star tick: the primary U.S. source of alpha-gal syndrome, which is a life-threatening meat allergy that’s on the rise
HealthHealth
Meet the lone star tick: the primary U.S. source of alpha-gal syndrome, which is a life-threatening meat allergy that’s on the rise
By Matthew Perrone and The Associated PressJune 13, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

Current price of oil as of June 15, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 15, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 15, 2026
22 hours ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 15, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 15, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 15, 2026
23 hours ago
Meet Gwynne Shotwell, the engineer-turned-COO who runs SpaceX in platform heels and is now worth over $2 billion
Startups & Venture
Meet Gwynne Shotwell, the engineer-turned-COO who runs SpaceX in platform heels and is now worth over $2 billion
By Eva RoytburgJune 15, 2026
1 day ago
Boomers actually do hold most of the wealth and power. So why do they call it 'whiny' to point that out?
Economy
Boomers actually do hold most of the wealth and power. So why do they call it 'whiny' to point that out?
By Nick LichtenbergJune 14, 2026
2 days ago
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
Big Tech
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
By Tristan BoveJune 15, 2026
19 hours ago
Trump gets the peace deal he wants and rages against Israel’s Netanyahu: ‘He has no f—ing judgement. I let him know that'
Economy
Trump gets the peace deal he wants and rages against Israel’s Netanyahu: ‘He has no f—ing judgement. I let him know that'
By Jim EdwardsJune 15, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.