Nearly 147,000 children in Pennsylvania are not covered by any sort of health insurance, ranking 5th in the nation for uninsured children. To put that number of children in context, Pennsylvania now has as many uninsured children as the total population of the cities of Harrisburg and Scranton combined.

Rural counties in Pennsylvania have higher rates of uninsured children than urban counties. For instance, Pennsylvania’s five counties with the highest child uninsured rates are Juniata, Lebanon, Mifflin, Snyder, and Union.

Pennsylvania must insure every child. This includes children and teens who are currently uninsured or who do not have citizenship documentation. Uninsured children fare far worse than insured children – experiencing poorer health in childhood, greater rates of avoidable hospitalizations, and higher childhood mortality. By insuring every child, Pennsylvania taxpayers can save more than $724 million a year and can deliver a healthier future for children in the Commonwealth.