This paper will first review literature on welfare policy and health related policy and then focus on the CHIP (Child Health Insurance) program. The Chip Program represents the largest expansion of health coverage since the passage of the Medicare and Medicaid Program. Over the five years from Fiscal Year 1998 forward, 24 billion dollars has become available to cover health care for children. A crucial test of success of the program will be enrollment of children. Nationally, estimates are that only 75 percent of children eligible for Medicaid because of their family welfare status are currently enrolled. Of non-welfare children eligible due to past program expansions, 45 percent are enrolled. I will summarize this national effort to increase health insurance coverage for lower income children, and review issues that the first year of operation of the program has raised about how to enroll greater numbers of children. Barriers to enrollment are reviewed and discussed both generally, but most specifically within the context of ten outreach efforts in Arizona. Issues of the relationship between project design, population characteristics and ability to overcome outreach barriers and improve enrolment of children will be discussed. Projects with better connections with health care delivery systems have experienced greater success initially, especially in terms of recruitment of large numbers of children. Projects with strong connections within specific communities are experiencing greater success in enrollment of large numbers of eligible children relative to the size of the community.
Learning Objectives: 1. Learn about CHIP program 2. be able to review operational issues of first year 3. understand enrollment barriers 4. understand attempts to overcome such barriers in 10 Arizona projects 5. be able to apply lessons learned to issues in other states
Keywords: Child Health, Health Insurance
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.