Maine, like the most of the other forty-nine states, is caught in a conundrum. For the past decade state policymakers have worked in a bipartisan manner to extend health insurance coverage to young Mainers, but the economic recession that commenced in late 2007 is creating new pressure on both private and public health insurance coverage. This policy brief brings into relief the basic connections between the national economy, private and public insurance coverage for children, and the benefits of covering children and the issues that emerge when children's health insurance coverage becomes sporadic as often happens during times of economic distress.

This is one in a series of policy briefs written for the 2009 Policy Leaders Academy Health Care Forum.