2026 OCAP State of the Child Report

ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES PERSIST AMONG COMMUNITIES AND DIVERSE POPULATIONS DESCRIPTION OF INDICATOR This indicator reports the number and percentage of children younger than 19 who are insured and reflects the number of children who do not have a usual source of care or a medical home.

Why is this indicator important?

Findings 1 • In Riverside County, 96.1% of children had health insurance coverage in 2024, below the statewide average of 96.9% and in the bottom quartile of California counties. That leaves nearly 4.0% of children uninsured. The gaps between insured and uninsured are greater in some communities. • Native American and Alaska Native children had a coverage rate of 81.5% in 2024, the widest disparity in the region. Health and human services agencies across Riverside County are actively working to close these gaps through targeted outreach, culturally responsive enrollment support, and stronger partnerships with tribal communities and local organizations. • In a sampling of Riverside County cities, a 9‑point gap existed between the rate of insured children and teens under age 19. In Jurupa Valley, the American Community Survey estimates 90.4% of children have health insurance coverage while 99.4% of children in neighboring Eastvale are insured. In 2021–2022, 12% of Riverside County children and teens under 18 reported having delayed medical care or not receiving the medical care they needed, higher than California’s rate of 8.5%.

Health coverage is fundamental to children’s well-being. Regular checkups, dental and vision care, and timely treatment for illness or injury support healthy development throughout childhood and adolescence. Studies show that insured children are more likely to receive recommended immunizations, miss fewer days of school because of illness, and get the care they need when they become sick. Insurance also reduces the chance that minor health concerns will grow into more serious conditions, easing long-term costs for families and strengthening overall stability for children.

1 County of Riverside. (n.d.). Children with health insurance indicator. Shape Riverside County. https://www.shaperivco.org/indicators/index/view?indicatorId=2732&localeId=270

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