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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Happy Birthday, Medicaid!

July 30, 2015

50th Anniversary of Medicare & Medicaid (1965-2015)

Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the launch of both Medicaid and Medicare. To honor Medicaid's contribution to the health and security of millions of Americans, the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) has been posting highlights of the program's achievements on the Medicaid.gov website. In 50 posts – one each day for the last 50 days – we hope we have successfully illuminated the importance of Medicaid to the health of children and families, and to our nation. Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign partners may especially appreciate the posts that highlight health coverage gains for children, the value of Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) and dental coverage, women's health, coverage for American Indians and Alaska Natives, prevention and others.

And many thanks for all the work you do to help ensure that children and families get the health coverage and health care they need. As a result, they have the opportunity to lead healthier, happier, and more productive lives.

Happy Birthday, Medicaid!

New Prevention Materials Available

We are excited to announce that today CMCS is releasing Living Well, a new set of outreach and educational materials, which are designed to help Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) beneficiaries understand the preventive benefits available to them. Living Well emphasizes the importance of taking advantage of services like check-ups, vaccines and screenings that help prevent and detect diseases when they are most treatable. Living Well features ready-to-use, customizable posters, fact sheets, and social media posts for Facebook and Twitter, as well as tips for implementation. The Living Well materials are now available in the Outreach Tools section of Medicaid.gov .

We hope you agree that this is a great way to celebrate Medicaid's 50th Anniversary!

New Report Highlights Medicaid's Long-Term Benefits for Children

The Center for Children and Families (CCF) at Georgetown University has released a new report, "Medicaid at 50: A Look at the Long-Term Benefits of Childhood Medicaid." The report looks at the body of research that shows how Medicaid coverage for children has resulted in better health, lower rates of mortality and better educational and economic outcomes, as well as a significant return on investment for government.

CCF also has posted several state-specific videos that celebrate Medicaid's 50th birthday. Each of them concludes with an outreach message that highlights the Insure Kids Now toll-free number.

CMS is offering links/charts for informational purposes only; facts should not be construed as an endorsement of the organization's programs or activities. 

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).

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.