Grants for $40 million will be used to identify and enroll children eligible for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The grants have been awarded to 39 state agencies, community health centers, school-based organizations, and non-profit groups in 23 states. Grants amounts range from $200,000 to $2.5 million with the largest grants going to the technology focus area.
The major focus area involving technology will use $20 million for 10 grants to develop systems capable of signing up children for health coverage. Some of the grants included in this focus area are going to:
• Fresno Health Communities Access Partners (CA) for $1,259,565 will use a web-based application called “One-e-App” to facilitate enrollment and renewal in Medicaid and CHIP
• Georgia Department of Community Health for $2,500,000 will use electronic data matching capacity to verify citizenship, provide portable scanners and laptop computers to facilitate off-site enrollment and verification, implement an on-line renewal module, and develop an electronic referral from Medicaid to “PeachCare for Kids”
• North Dakota Department of Human Services for $1,690,867 will adapt the “e-find” system so that multiple databases for wage unemployment insurance, child support enforcement, social security data, and other information can be electronically checked for the purpose of determining eligibility and renewing coverage for Medicaid and CHIP
The other organizations and states to receive funding under the technology focus area include Sacred Heart Health Systems Inc in Florida, State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Hudson River Healthcare Inc in New York, New Mexico Human Services Department, South Carolina State Office of Rural Health, South Dakota Department of Social Services, and the Washington Department of Social and Health Services in Washington state.
Other grant awards in other areas will focus on retention (4 grants), engaging schools in outreach, enrollment and renewal activities (7 grants), reaching out to groups likely to experience gaps in coverage (14 grants), and ensuring eligible teens are enrolled and stay covered (4 grants).
Go to http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/ and then go to the press release for a complete list and more information on the grantees.
