May 7, 2015
The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign is wrapping up the week of spring wave activities with exciting news – a new video has been added to our Outreach Video Library! We also wanted to share a deeper dive on new data reflecting a Medicaid and CHIP participation boost among eligible children, as well as share Save-the-Date information for our next webinar.
- Resource Spotlight – New Video Added to Outreach Video Library
- Medicaid/CHIP Participation Rates Rise Again
- Next Webinar: May 21, 2015
Resource Spotlight – New Video Added to Outreach Video Library
We've just posted the latest installment of the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach Video Library. The new video features our Connecting Kids to Coverage partner from Philadelphia, Public Citizens for Children & Youth (PCCY), and Kids Smiles, a non-profit dental provider that offers dental care to children in underserved communities. PCCY and Kids Smiles have teamed up to help enroll eligible children in Medicaid and CHIP when their families bring them in on "Give Kids a Smile Day" for free dental care. As the video makes clear, once children are covered, families do not have to wait for "Smile Day" for children to get dental care. Covered children can get the care they need, when they need it. Take 4 minutes to view the video – and enjoy the beautiful smiles you'll see on screen. And, take a look at our fact sheet for ideas on how to incorporate any of our outreach videos into your work. You can view the entire Outreach Video Library on InsureKidsNow.gov.
Medicaid/CHIP Participation Rates Rise Again
The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign is pleased to share the latest data from the Urban Institute, showing another uptick in the participation rate among children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. The nation has been making significant progress on reducing the number of uninsured children – and since most uninsured children are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, enrollment in these programs has been a strong force behind our success. The new Urban Institute analysis of data from the 2013 American Community Survey found that nationally 88.3% of eligible children were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. That's up from less than 82% in 2008. What’s more, 22 states and DC had participation rates above 90%, demonstrating that we can get even closer to the goal of enrolling all eligible children. A number of factors have played a central role in this story: They include the steps states have taken to simplify and streamline enrollment and renewal so that eligible children have better access to health coverage, and the availability of community-based outreach and enrollment activities aimed at signing up eligible children.
Topping the 90% mark were: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Two states have 2013 participation rates below 80%: Nevada and Utah. Both these states have increased participation over time, and efforts to help eligible children enroll in Medicaid and CHIP continue to be important.
Find the Medicaid and CHIP participation rate in your state.
There's still more work to do. The Urban Institute analysis reveals that roughly 3.7 million children are eligible for Medicaid and CHIP but are not enrolled. Together, our Connecting Kids to Coverage grantees and partners can continue to make progress so that more children will have health coverage and can get the care they need, when they need it.
Next Webinar: May 21, 2015
Save-the-date! Our next webinar on May 21 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time will kick off the Campaign's Back-to-School activities for the 2015-2016 school year. Mark your calendar! Watch your inbox for instructions on how to register.
3 Ways to Stay Connected With the National Campaign
- Share our materials widely. We have more than 50 National Campaign resources available, including translated print materials, to use in outreach and enrollment efforts.
- 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.
- Contact us to get more involved with the National Campaign at ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov or 1-855-313-KIDS (5437).
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