Washington, DC, families seeking insurance for kids

Rising unemployment and the sinking economy are driving sharp increases in the number of Washington, DC-area families seeking state health insurance for their children, and more of these families are qualifying for coverage. The increases are particularly pronounced in the region's largest and wealthiest jurisdictions as employers cut benefits and eliminate jobs. In Fairfax County, for example, requests for the state's insurance program for children were up 16% between November 2007 and November 2008. In Alexandria County, caseloads increased 20%, and in Loudoun County, they were up 16.5%.