A new study from Georgetown University Center for Children and Families revealed there are about 10,000 more uninsured 0-to-6 year olds than two years ago.
Now children under the age of six in Ohio are less insured than school-age children, reversing a longstanding trend.
Usually school-age kids are the most insured, says Groundwork Ohio executive director Shannon Jones, because they are more in touch with the hospital system.
"That reversal of the trend is something that is unique to Ohio," Jones says, "and something that is worth exploring to make sure that we’re doing what we can to keep kids connected to the services they need."
She says the switch is particularly alarming because those first few years of life are vital for childhood development.
"If we want to improve the overall health and well-being of our children, a huge part of that as adults is to make sure they have access to the things that they cannot get for themselves," she says.
More than half of the nation’s uninsured children under 6 live in just seven states, including Ohio.
