Research shows that the first six years of a child’s life are important for their physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. But a report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families shows the number of children in Arkansas under the age of six without health insurance is increasing. Arkansas had the sixth highest rate of uninsurance out of 45 states in the study. Camille Richoux with Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families says doctor’s visits during the first few years of a child's life are important for preventative care.
Audio : "Early diagnosis of issues, everything from speech therapy to occupational therapy, vaccinations that help them grow up to be healthy kids and adults."
Richoux says Arkansas was making progress in increasing the number of insured children, but it appears the state is losing ground. Nationwide, uninsured rates are higher for children of color. American Indian and Alaska Native children under age six have the highest rate of uninsurance of any racial or ethnic group. Elisabeth Wright Burak with Georgetown University Center for Children and Families expects the trend to worsen as the Trump administration adds more barriers to health care coverage.
Audio: "Since 2025, we've seen nearly two million kids lose Medicaid coverage or be disenrolled from Medicaid. So we're concerned that this could be a harbinger for what's to come."
President Donald Trump said his administration's changes to Medicaid are intended to root out fraud and wasteful spending. Richoux says state and local politicians can also play a role in helping more kids get the care they need. She adds having health insurance can help families avoid costly medical bills.
Audio: "Most uninsured kids qualify for ARKids First, our Medicaid program for kids. The reason they're not enrolled is because of red tape barriers. We can streamline those so kids don't experience gaps in health coverage. We can do more outreach, and we can make sure that kids stay covered."
The Georgetown University Center for Children and Families studied statistics between 2022 and 2024. The full study is available at ccf.georgetown.edu.