The issue of the links between poverty, health, and access to medical care is one that has received considerable attention from a variety of perspectives. Health influences most other activities of life, from the ability to engage in learning to the ability to enjoy life itself. It is therefore not surprising that all societies should be concerned about varying levels of health among their members, especially their youngest members, and about the allocation of the most visible means by which health is thought to be influenced medical care. This paper explores the ties between poverty and health for children, paying particular attention to the potential ways that society, through health insurance, can affect health status and health care delivery systems.