Insuring Children's Health: A Community Guide to Enrolling Children in Free and Low-Cost Health Insurance Programs
Author: Children's Defense Fund
Date Published: 199?
There are more than 11 million uninsured children in this country. Studies have shown that children without health insurance are less likely than insured children to get the preventive and primary care they need for their healthy development and are at greater risk of preventable illnesses. CHIP and Medicare provide the opportunity to improve this situation. Children will not receive health coverage through these programs automatically. Their parents must apply for it. The problem is that many parents do not know CHIP exists or that their child might be eligible. In fact, approximately 2-3 million uninsured children are eligible for CHIP and an additional 3-4 million are eligible for Medicaid but are not enrolled. Because of this, most states are in the process of implementing outreach and enrollment campaigns to educate communities about CHIP and Medicaid. However, these statewide campaigns must be complemented by community-based efforts led by caring and concerned individuals like you. This Community guide offers step-by-step instructions on how to organize strong outreach campaigns on the local level and suggests simple ways to engage your schools, congregations, small businesses, and other members of the community in this effort. The enclosed materials, including a flyer, a list of key contacts for CHIP and Medicaid information in your state, and a fact sheet on uninsured children, can be used to design a campaign that meets the needs of your community. If you need additional outreach materials or assistance, staff at the Children's defense Fund can help you with your ongoing efforts to spread the word about CHIP and Medicaid. Together, we can make a difference for children by ensuring they get the health insurance they need to grow up healthy and strong.
Date Published: 199?
There are more than 11 million uninsured children in this country. Studies have shown that children without health insurance are less likely than insured children to get the preventive and primary care they need for their healthy development and are at greater risk of preventable illnesses. CHIP and Medicare provide the opportunity to improve this situation. Children will not receive health coverage through these programs automatically. Their parents must apply for it. The problem is that many parents do not know CHIP exists or that their child might be eligible. In fact, approximately 2-3 million uninsured children are eligible for CHIP and an additional 3-4 million are eligible for Medicaid but are not enrolled. Because of this, most states are in the process of implementing outreach and enrollment campaigns to educate communities about CHIP and Medicaid. However, these statewide campaigns must be complemented by community-based efforts led by caring and concerned individuals like you. This Community guide offers step-by-step instructions on how to organize strong outreach campaigns on the local level and suggests simple ways to engage your schools, congregations, small businesses, and other members of the community in this effort. The enclosed materials, including a flyer, a list of key contacts for CHIP and Medicaid information in your state, and a fact sheet on uninsured children, can be used to design a campaign that meets the needs of your community. If you need additional outreach materials or assistance, staff at the Children's defense Fund can help you with your ongoing efforts to spread the word about CHIP and Medicaid. Together, we can make a difference for children by ensuring they get the health insurance they need to grow up healthy and strong.
