IMPORTANT: Look for your child’s Medicaid or CHIP renewal in the mail, complete it and mail it back immediately. They may be covered even if you’re not! Every child currently covered by Medicaid or CHIP will need to go through a renewal process within the next several months. Keep your child covered and healthy. Complete the renewal as soon as you get it in the mail! Go to Medicaid.gov/renewals to find contact information for your state Medicaid office.

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Connecting Kids to Coverage Campaign Updates

January 13, 2014

Here are recent updates from the Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign:

  • Just Awarded! FY 2013 CHIPRA Performance Bonuses Awarded to 23 States
  • New! Outreach Video Features Enrollment Events at Fiesta Mart in Houston, TX
  • Now Posted! Campaign Webinar on Conducting Outreach When Families Are Seeking Health Services
  • Save-the-Date: Next Webinar on February 12

FY 2013 CHIPRA Performance Bonuses Awarded to 23 States

CMS awarded more than $307 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) Performance Bonuses on December 30, 2013. This year marks the fifth and final year of the CHIPRA performance bonus awards. Between FY 2009 and FY 2013, states have been able to earn performance bonuses by adopting program features that improve access to children's health coverage and by increasing the enrollment of eligible children in Medicaid. Twenty-three states earned bonuses for FY 2013, including Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Outreach Video Features Enrollment Events at Fiesta Mart in Houston, TX

A new 4-minute Connecting Kids to Coverage video was added to the Outreach Video Library. The video features the longstanding partnership between the Children's Defense Fund-Texas and Fiesta Mart, a supermarket chain in Texas. Working together, the two organizations have helped thousands of children obtain Medicaid and CHIP coverage. One father, interviewed on the video, put it simply, "Going shopping for beans, rice and come out with health insurance!" The video elevates the important role businesses can play in the effort to help eligible children gain health insurance and we hope Connecting Kids to Coverage grantees and partners can use this video to engage businesses in their work. For more ideas on ways to collaborate with businesses, see the Campaign's one pager "Ten Things Local Businesses Can Do. "

Connect with the Campaign

Are you conducting an outreach activity that would add to our Outreach Video Library? Tell us about what you're doing and how it’s helping to boost enrollment in your community. Send a short description to connectingkids@cms.hhs.gov. We just might send a camera crew your way!

Campaign Webinar on Conducting Outreach When Families Are Seeking Health Services

Did you miss the December 12, 2013 webinar – "Outreach and Enrollment When Families are Seeking Health Services"? The hour-long webinar, featuring successful strategies to reach families through local health departments and by engaging health care providers, is now available online. Visit the webinar page on InsureKidsNow.gov to view this and other past Campaign webinars. During the webinar, representatives from the American Academy of Pediatrics shared great tips on enlisting their members in your efforts. The Campaign's cold & flu season materials were also highlighted. The cold & flu materials can be customized  with your local campaign information.

Save-the-Date: Next Webinar on February 12

Mark your calendar! The next Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign webinar will be held on February 12, 2014 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST. Additional details are forthcoming. Keep an eye out over the next week for the official invitation, including registration link.

We Want to Hear from You!

Do you have outreach ideas or success stories to share? Please email connectingkids@cms.hhs.gov. We may feature your organization in a future Campaign Notes eNewsletter.

The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign Notes eNewsletter offers quick outreach and enrollment tips throughout the year. If a friend or colleague forwarded this email to you, you can sign up to receive this eNewsletter directly to your inbox. You can also follow the Campaign on Twitter. Don't forget to re-Tweet or share our messages with your network.