Covering Kids & Families Case Study in Michigan: Exploring Medicaid and SCHIP Enrollment Trends and their Links to Policy and Practice

Publication Date:

Publisher:

Author(s): E. Ellis; J. Walls; D. Marks; C. Trenholm

Research Area: Health

Type: Report

Abstract:

This case study, one of 10 state-based case studies conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., looks at enrollment trends in Michigan for children in Medicaid and in the Medicaid expansion portion of SCHIP from 1999 through late 2003. It also examines the activities of the Covering Kids and Families (CKF) project and its interaction with state agency policy through early 2006, when the Michigan CKF grant ended.



Key Findings:



* Among the states that have been analyzed by the CKF evaluation team, Michigan has had a high rate of success in increasing enrollment levels in children's health insurance through Medicaid and SCHIP.
* CKF was instrumental in creating a broad base of support for children's health insurance in Michigan.
* Among new initiatives, self-declaration of income had the single most significant impact on new enrollments into both Medicaid and SCHIP.
* Other useful initiatives included implementation of an online application option and a centralized eligibility processing system, which together contributed to Michigan having one of the nation's fastest turnaround times for processing and determining eligibility.
* The initiation of 12-month continuous eligibility for Medicaid and SCHIP also contributed to retention of enrollment in Healthy Kids. Michigan has a high rate of retention compared with other states, and this rate has improved over time.