Efforts have been made by the government to expand requirements for Medicaid coverage in an attempt to get more people health insurance. However, researchers estimate there are 4.7 million children in the country who were eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, but are not enrolled in 2008.

Enrollment levels in government health insurance programs vary in each state. A large number of uninsured children are clustered in three states: California, Texas, and Florida.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan aim to enroll five million eligible children in Medicaid or CHIP in five years.

Duncan says the school system will play a role in identifying and enrolling eligible students. Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says health-related factors can lead to poor academic performance.

"If a child is not healthy, he or she cannot learn," said Duncan. "The education community has a critical role to play in finding and enrolling eligible children."

Those who don't qualify for Medicaid or CHIP shouldn't go without coverage. If an insurance plan isn't offered through an employer, people can begin researching plans and get individual health insurance quotes online.