CBPP: Medicaid Helps Schools Help Children

Medicaid provides affordable and comprehensive health coverage to over 30 million children. It also plays a little known but important role in supporting schools and making sure students, especially those with disabilities, get the care and services they need to succeed.

Medicaid also pays for health services that all children need, such as vision and dental screenings, and schools can also help enroll eligible but unenrolled children in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and connect them to other health care services and providers.

Medicaid helps schools by reducing special education and other health care-related costs, freeing up funding in state and school budgets to help advance other education initiatives.