Kansas Child Uninsured Rate Climbs to 8.5%
Parents across Kansas should confirm each child's coverage and track Medicaid or CHIP renewal deadlines.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Child Care
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The share of Kansas children under 19 without health insurance rose to 8.5% in 2025, the second straight year Kansas ran above the national child uninsured rate. Families across the state are feeling the squeeze as coverage slips for kids.
Why it matters
For Kansas households, a child without coverage can mean delayed checkups, higher out-of-pocket bills, and a harder time catching problems early. The rise came as Medicaid and CHIP enrollment fell nationally, and some eligible families pulled children from coverage or never applied.
The Kansas child uninsured rate reached 8.5% in 2025, against a U.S. rate of 6.2%. Among Kansas children, uninsured rates in 2024 were 16.2% for Hispanic children, 9.8% for Black children, and 7.9% for white children.
The players
Kansas Health Institute
A Topeka-based nonprofit that tracks health coverage and policy for Kansas residents and published the report on child uninsured rates.
El Centro
A Kansas City-area organization that serves local families and is cited for its work with families navigating coverage.
The details
Two shifts drove much of the change. Families voluntarily disenrolled children from Medicaid or CHIP or did not apply for coverage, and the unwinding of COVID-19 policies that had automatically kept child coverage in place came to an end. Government red tape, parental confusion about work reporting requirements, and federal program cuts also contributed to shrinking enrollment.
Timeline
In 2022, the Kansas child uninsured rate stood at 5.2%.
By 2024, the Kansas child uninsured rate had climbed to 7%.
In 2025, the Kansas child uninsured rate rose to 8.5%.
Preliminary data for the first half of 2026 suggests Medicaid and CHIP enrollment continued falling.
The Home Front
Kansas's child uninsured rate has now exceeded the national average for a second consecutive year, placing the state above the U.S. benchmark of 6.2% in 2025. The pattern follows a national increase in child uninsured rates that accompanied falling Medicaid and CHIP enrollment.
If you have a child under 19 in Kansas, check whether your child's coverage is current and whether any Medicaid or CHIP renewal paperwork is waiting for you. Keep a folder with your child's enrollment letters and renewal notices so you can respond quickly if coverage is questioned.
The takeaway
Kids' health coverage is a household budget item as much as a medical one, so a lapse can quietly shift costs onto the family. Make a point of confirming each child's coverage status once a year and keeping renewal dates on your calendar.
Further reading
For more on how families in the state are handling kids' care and coverage, see Child Care in our Kansas coverage.
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