The health care services that children and youth use change along with their growth and development. Like adults, children receive healthcare in ambulatory, emergency and hospital settings. Children usually rely on parents and other adults in their lives for access to healthcare, prevention and treatment decisions and for evaluation of the quality of the care they receive. Finding ways to improve healthcare access, outcomes and quality is essential to the health and well being of children, but first we must understand differences in patterns of health insurance and use of services from infancy through adolescence.¹ Children's access to healthcare is important to children themselves, their families and the community. Healthcare can influence children's physical and emotional health, growth, and development and their ability to reach their full potential as adults. If appropriate care is not provided when needed, children are at increased risk of developing preventable conditions.²