The researchers' findings during the course of the project led to changes in Maryland's tax forms that enabled better targeting of households with Medicaid- or CHIP-eligible children.
How Well Did Maryland Identify and Enroll Uninsured Children Who Are Potentially Eligible for Medicaid or CHIP?
Dates of Project: December 2008 – May 2012
Field of Work: Research and evaluation of state health reform initiatives.
Problem Synopsis: Many children eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are not enrolled in either program. States are searching for new methods to identify and enroll children eligible for—but not enrolled in—Medicaid or CHIP.
Synopsis of the Work: Researchers at the Hilltop Institute evaluated the implementation of Maryland's tax-based outreach initiative, the Kids First Act, and how well the state achieved its goal of identifying and enrolling uninsured children who are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.
Key Findings
- Researchers identified several factors that expedited enactment of the Kids First Act, including a political climate conducive to enactment and implementation, filing of state tax returns by many low-income households, and useful tax form data.
- The researchers' findings during the course of the project led to changes in Maryland's tax forms that enabled better targeting of households with Medicaid- or CHIP-eligible children and led to the enactment of new legislation that facilitates data sharing with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
- Researchers identified 140 children and 47 adults who enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP subsequent to the Comptroller of Maryland's mailing (in March and April 2012) for tax year 2010.
Researchers identified 140 children and 47 adults who enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP subsequent to the Comptroller of Maryland's mailing for tax year 2010.
Recommended
- Topics
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Related
- New Denial and Disenrollment Coding Strategies to Drive State Enrollment Performance October 30, 2012
- Medicaid/CHIP Participation Among Children and Parents December 3, 2012
- Why Do Household Surveys Undercount Medicaid Enrollment? February 9, 2011
- Maximizing Kids' Enrollment in Medicaid and SCHIP January 1, 2009
- Using Data to Drive State Improvement in Enrollment and Retention Performance November 1, 2011
- About this grant
Maryland's #KidsFirstAct led to tax form changes that enabled better targeting of Medicaid- or CHIP-eligible children.