Tommy Picchietti who is 6yrs reached the limit of his parents' health insurance coverage when he was 9 months old. By that time, he'd already taken up an open heart surgery and been on a ventilator with other complications related to his treatment for heart disease -- a condition Tommy developed as the result of an immune disorder he'd been born with. Through health insurance his parents were able to cover their son's medical expenses for a few more years after their insurance ran out. But when the insurance expired, they weren't left with many options.

In 2006, Picchietti's parents heard about a state program called All Kids which provides health coverage to uninsured children at a reduced cost. Now they pay a $100 monthly premium that allows Tommy to keep getting the highly specialized care he needs. The state estimates that between 200,000 to 250,000 children lack health insurances. A 2006 study from Families USA reported an even higher number: 376,000. Many of these children have parents who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to pay for private insurance, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services says. Not having insurance increases the odds which a child won't get recommended health screenings and immunizations. Uninsured kids, like uninsured adults, are also much more likely to be hospitalized for preventable problems.