March 24, 2014
The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign has lots of news to share!
Next Webinar April 3
We're deep into planning for our spring outreach and enrollment push. We'll be revealing our new materials and more in our upcoming webinar on April 3 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Mark your calendar!
Medicaid/CHIP Participation Rates Rise Again
The latest state-by-state Medicaid/CHIP participation rates from the Urban Institute are in – and they show that the nation continues to make steady progress. View the latest children's Medicaid/CHIP participation rate for your state at our map on InsureKidsNow.gov.
The Urban Institute analysis shows that the participation rate for the U.S. has increased from 81.7% in 2008 to 88.1% in 2012. State numbers are going in the same direction – up! – with many exceeding participation rates of 90% or higher.
- 20 states and DC now have participation rates of 90% or higher. (The 2011 data, released last year, showed 14 states and DC at 90% or higher.)
- States that exceeded 90% participation in the latest report include: Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia.
The researchers attribute this success to a number of factors, most notably, the steps states have taken to simplify and streamline enrollment and renewal so that eligible children have better access to health coverage. Outreach activities aimed at signing up eligible children have also played an important role. The dramatic decline in the rate of uninsurance among children – now less than 7% – is primarily a result of enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP.
Text Messaging Can Help Direct Uninsured Individuals to Medicaid and CHIP, According to Kaiser Brief
A recent brief from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured focuses on why mobile technology is an important new outreach tool. The brief highlights how the Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign partnered with the Text4Baby program to help link eligible pregnant women and new mothers to Medicaid and CHIP coverage.
Explore our Campaign Outreach Video Library
The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign Outreach Video Library features short videos showcasing a variety of ways outreach partner organizations across the country are helping to enroll children and teens in Medicaid and CHIP. For ideas on ways to incorporate these videos into your outreach efforts, see the Campaign's one pager Five Ways You Can Use the Campaign Outreach Videos .
Connect with the Campaign
Are you conducting an outreach activity that would add to our Outreach Video Library? Tell us about what you're doing and how it's helping to boost enrollment in your community. Send a short description to connectingkids@cms.hhs.gov. We just might send a camera crew your way!
Campaign Webinar on Reaching and Enrolling Eligible Teens
Did you miss the February 12, 2013 webinar "Reaching and Enrolling Eligible Teens"? The hour-long webinar, examined reasons why this age group is particularly challenging to enroll in Medicaid and CHIP. Our new flyer , designed to help with outreach efforts targeted to teens, can be customized with your local campaign information. Visit the webinar page on InsureKidsNow.gov to view this and other past Campaign webinars.
We want to hear from you!
Do you have outreach ideas or success stories to share? Please email connectingkids@cms.hhs.gov. We may feature your organization in a future Campaign Notes eNewsletter. The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign Notes eNewsletter offers quick outreach and enrollment tips throughout the year. If a friend or colleague forwarded this email to you, you can sign up to receive this eNewsletter directly to your inbox. You can also follow the Campaign on Twitter. Don't forget to re-Tweet or share our messages with your network.