February 2, 2009 Childrens Health Coverage Terri Shaw Deputy Director The Childrens Partnership Briefing Co-Sponsored by Alliance for Health Reform & Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

Overview Importance of Medicaid and SCHIP Challenges to Enrollment and Retention Innovative Solutions Enrollment and Retention Access and Quality Policy Implications SCHIP Reauthorization Economic Recovery

Importance of Medicaid & SCHIP Coverage for 35 million children; millions more eligible Impacts for children Health access, quality, outcomes School attendance and performance Impacts for states Source of federal funding Direct and indirect economic impacts

Carefully target assistance Avoid crowd-out Ensure program integrity Contain costs Enrollment and Retention: Policy Goals

Enrollment and Retention: Practical Impacts Complex rules Gaps in coverage Burdensome requirements for families Administrative inefficiencies Bias against enrollment

Enrollment and Retention: Innovative Solutions Express Lane Eligibility Administrative simplifications Technology tools

Access and Quality: Innovative Solutions Better use of information Screening, assessment, and referral Coordination Program evaluation and improvement Increasing connections and tools for families Telehealth

Policy Implications: SCHIP Reauthorization Coverage and financing New options for enrollment and retention Quality measures Health information technology

Policy Implications: Economic Recovery Medicaid funding Health information technology

Contact Terri Shaw (510)