Residents at all income levels will have access to high quality and affordable health care that focuses on wellness and prevention.

Ninety percent of the region’s residents said that it was very important or a top priority for the Chicago region to be a place where residents of all income levels have access to the health care they need. This section measures how well the region provides that access to health services. Future regional progress reports will measure access to supportive services such as nutrition assistance and after-school programs.

The share of the region’s residents without health insurance of any kind increased from 13.9% to 18.7% between 1995 and 1998, pushing the region’s uninsured rate slightly higher than the 1998 national average of 18.4%. Access to health care — whether through insurance, the ability to pay or free services — is one measure of whether people will remain healthy enough to participate in the workforce, community life and education.

Chicago-region enrollments in the state’s KidCare insurance program were at 46% of eligible families as of July 2000, compared to 68% for the rest of the state. In Cook County, 49,204 children have been enrolled. In the five other counties, 13,818 children have signed up. KidCare was launched in April 1999 to bring health coverage to low-income families.

Regional infant mortality rates decreased 24% between 1990 and 1997, from 11 to 8.5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births. Cook County had the highest rate of infant mortality with an average of 9.3 deaths in the baby’s first year. Rates declined 36% for Asians, 26% for Latinos, 25% for African-Americans and 15% for whites. Infant mortality rates reflect the quality of health care because infant mortality can be reduced through better pre-natal care, parent education, improved socio-economic conditions and access to medical technology.