Family medicine
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The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has improved insurance coverage rates. However, children's enrollment status in SCHIP frequently changes, which can leave families with uncertainty about their children's coverage status. We examined whether insurance uncertainty was associated with unmet health care needs. ⋯ Uncertain children's insurance coverage was associated with higher rates of unmet health care needs. Clinicians and educators can play a role in keeping patients out of insurance gray zones by (1) developing practice interventions to assist families in confirming enrollment and maintaining coverage and (2) advocating for policy changes that minimize insurance enrollment and retention barriers.