Children’s healthcare needs are specific to their developmental level; children are not little adults. Children’s optimal health is best achieved through access to appropriate and comprehensive health care (Pediatrics, 1997). Shelley Gehshan and Christopher DeGraw, presenters at the June/September User Liaison Program (ULP) SCHIP Workshops, highlighted several key issues to consider regarding appropriate benefits to meet children’s healthcare needs.

Children need a continuum of services including:

Although primary preventive care is a major component of children’s healthcare, States can expect that a significant proportion of children will need specialized services as well, given that:

Special healthcare services will be important in the development of SCHIP benefit and service delivery systems given that, among the SCHIP target population (uninsured children in low-income families):

Ample latitude within Title XXI legislation, as discussed in the following section, allows States the flexibility needed to design SCHIP benefit packages and service delivery systems which meet the broad range of healthcare needs of children.

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Who presented this material?

• Christopher DeGraw, M.D., M.P.H. and Shelly Gehshan, M.P.P.