IMPORTANT: Look for your child’s Medicaid or CHIP renewal in the mail, complete it and mail it back immediately. They may be covered even if you’re not! Go to Medicaid.gov/renewals to find contact information for your state Medicaid office.

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Now Available! Connecting Kids to Coverage TV & Radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs)!

July 25, 2014

Some things just don't change: Busy parents will always have their hands full, and Medicaid and CHIP are still there to provide a helping hand when it comes to enrolling eligible children and teens in comprehensive, free or low-cost health coverage. And, to support your local outreach efforts, our Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign "Hands Full" TV and radio PSAs are back. Over the past 12 months, thanks to our outreach partners and TV and radio stations, "Hands Full" aired locally in 187 out of 210 Designated Market Areas, as well as nationally! These spots now have been updated and distributed to broadcast stations with a letter encouraging stations to air them. The PSAs still provide the basics about Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility and benefits, and information about how to apply. And now they also remind families that enrollment is year-round.

Check out "Hands Full" in English and Spanish on InsureKidsNow.gov today.

In addition, our newest radio PSA, "Covered Kid", first announced as part of the National Campaign's spring enrollment push, is also available. This spot emphasizes Medicaid and CHIP enrollment 365 days a year and that parents may be eligible for Medicaid too.

"Hands Full" and "Covered Kid" are available for use until May 31, 2015.

There are countless ways you can use National Campaign PSAs in community settings to amplify the message about how eligible children and teens up to age 19 can get free or low-cost health insurance. Check out InsureKidsNow.gov for tools to help you strengthen your efforts. We've provided a sample "pitch letter" you can use to persuade local TV and radio stations to air the PSAs, as well as "live read" radio scripts that can be customized with local information. On the website, you'll also find 10 tips that help put the PSAs to work .

Suggested Tweets

  1. CMS Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign TV & radio PSAs promote #Enroll365 in #Medicaid & #CHIP. Download: go.cms.gov/17RxJlA
  2. CMS Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign, "Hands Full", TV & radio PSAs available for download at go.cms.gov/17RxJlA. #Enroll365
  3. Help eligible kids #Enroll365 in #Medicaid & #CHIP. CMS TV & radio PSAs available in English and Spanish: go.cms.gov/17RxJlA
  4. Help children in your community become "Covered Kids." Spread the word about #Enroll365 PSAs: go.cms.gov/17RxJlA

** CMS created a shortened URL to keep the character count down for tweets and provide a direct link to http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/professionals/outreach/strategies/tv_and_radio_psas.html, the page on InsureKidsNow where the PSAs and associated tools are located. **

Questions?

If you have any questions about the PSAs or would like to request a playable DVD or CD, please email ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov

A Library of National Campaign Resources Available

Did you know that the Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign has more than 50 resources available organizations can use as part of their outreach and enrollment efforts? Some materials are available in other languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Portuguese, Tagalog and Vietnamese. Print materials can also be customized with your local information. Refer to our Customization Guide  for instructions.

No Vacation for Back-to-School Planners

School may be out but the Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign is already planning for Back-to-School outreach activities. To get involved, contact us at ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov or call us toll-free at 1-855-313-KIDS. And join us on July 31 for a National Campaign webinar where we will dig into everything you’ll need for a great Back-to-School effort and effective school-based outreach throughout the school year. View the InsureKidsNow.gov webinar archive.

Stay Connected With the National Campaign – In 3 Easy Steps

  • Follow the Campaign on Twitter. Don't forget to re-tweet or share our messages with your network or use our #Enroll365 hashtag in your posts.
  • Share our materials widely. We have more than 50 National Campaign resources available, including translated print materials, to use in outreach and enrollment efforts.
  • Contact us to get more involved with the National Campaign at ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov or 1-855-313-KIDS (5437).

The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign Notes eNewsletter is distributed throughout the year and provides updates on National Campaign activities. If a friend or colleague forwarded this email to you, sign up to receive this eNewsletter directly to your inbox.