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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Staying Up to Date on Childhood Vaccines with Medicaid and CHIP

Join the Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign in reminding families to make sure their kids are on track to receive the vaccines they need to prevent and fight serious illness, especially as they start the school year. With free or low-cost health coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), critical vaccines are covered.

By the time they start school, kids should have received vaccines to protect them from preventable diseases like hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella. As they grow, it is also recommended that kids get an annual flu vaccine – and vaccines to prevent HPV and meningococcal disease.

Connect with your community to share information about the importance of childhood vaccines so kids and teens can get vaccinated before they get too busy with homework, after-school activities, and fall sports. You can find resources and materials on vaccines to help your outreach at InsureKidsNow.gov. And check back on InsureKidsNow.gov and this eNewsletter for more information on HPV vaccines and the upcoming flu season!

Keep Families Covered: The End of the Continuous Enrollment Requirement 

Many states have resumed their regular processes for renewing individuals’ Medicaid and CHIP coverage following the end of the continuous enrollment requirement. Now through April 2024, everyone is going to need to renew their Medicaid or CHIP coverage. It is critical that families are aware of the renewal process and the steps they need to take to avoid a gap in coverage. Families can renew their coverage or begin the enrollment process by finding their state Medicaid agency here. Share the following steps with those already enrolled, to maintain coverage:

  • Update your contact information - Make sure your state has your current mailing address, phone number, email, or other contact information. This way, they’ll be able to contact you about your family’s Medicaid or CHIP coverage.
  • Check your mail - Your state will mail you a letter about your coverage. This letter will let you know if you need to complete a renewal form to see if you still qualify for Medicaid or CHIP.
  • Complete your family’s renewal form (if you get one) - Fill out the form and return it to your state right away to help avoid a gap in coverage. Your children may still be eligible for Medicaid or CHIP even if you are not!
  • If a family no longer qualifies for coverage, you can direct them to the Health Insurance Marketplace at Healthcare.gov.

You can also learn more about the end of the continuous enrollment requirement (sometimes also referred to as the Unwinding) and how to help families stay covered by registering for the ongoing monthly webinar series focused on preparing for renewals.

The next Medicaid and CHIP Renewals: What to Know and How to Prepare, A Partner Education Monthly Series, hosted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, will provide stakeholders with information to prepare for Medicaid and CHIP renewals. The next webinar will be September 27 at 12 p.m. ET. Register here.

Connect With Your Community Through Live Reads & PSAs

Looking for a new way to reach families in your community? Explore using television and radio PSAs or radio live reads to reach families where they are and share important information about Medicaid and CHIP. The Campaign has created several radio scripts, digital videos, and television and radio PSAs that can be distributed through your local radio and TV stations or to local businesses. These materials cover a variety of topics including mental health, dental care, vision care, and overall enrollment information and are available in English and Spanish.

Check out this tip sheet on how to use digital videos in your outreach and read this guide on putting PSAs to work in your community.

Upcoming Observances

  • Newborn Screening Awareness Month (September)
  • National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month (September)
  • Sports Eye Safety Month (September)
  • Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (September)
  • National Suicide Prevention Week (September 10 – September 16)
  • World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10)
  • Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – September 15)
  • Get Ready for Flu Day (September 19)

Stay Connected with the Campaign

  • Share our Campaign materials. Our ever-growing, multi-lingual Outreach Tool Library features a variety of targeted resources to use in your outreach and enrollment efforts, available in multiple formats.
  • Contact us. To get more involved with the Campaign, contact us via email at ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov.
  • Follow the Campaign on Twitter. Remember to re-tweet or share our messages from @IKNGov with your social network and be sure to use our #Enroll365 and #KidsEnroll hashtags in your posts.

Subscribe to the “Campaign Notes” eNewsletter

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