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In 1997, 10.7 million children were uninsured. The new State Children's
Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and existing state Medicaid programs are
intended to provide coverage for low-income children. The crucial question is
whether the number of uninsured children has been reduced. Improved
state-specific data is needed to provide that information. In addition, the
Federal government should evaluate the effectiveness of these programs in
finding and enrolling children in health insurance.
State-by-state Uninsured Counts and Children's Health Care Access and Utilization. (1) Provide funds ($10 million annually) to the Census Bureau to make appropriate adjustments to the Current Population Survey (CPS) so that the CPS can provide reliable state-by-state data on uninsured children. (2) Provide funds ($9 million annually) to the National Center for Health Statistics to conduct the Children's Health portion of the State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey (SLAITS) in order to produce reliable state-by-state data on the health care access and utilization for low-income children covered by various insurance programs such as Medicaid and CHIP.
Federal Evaluation. With funding ($10 million), the Secretary of Health and Human Services would submit to Congress a Federal evaluation report that would include 10 states representing varying geographic, rural/urban, with various program designs. The evaluation would include more specific and comparable evaluation elements than are already included under Title XXI, such as including surveys of the target population (enrollees and other eligibles). The study would evaluate outreach and enrollment practices (for both CHIP and Medicaid), identify barriers to enrollment, assess states' Medicaid and CHIP program coordination, assess the effect of cost sharing on enrollment and coverage retention, and identify the reasons for disenrollment/retention.
Standardized Reporting. States would submit standardized data to the Secretary, including enrollee counts disaggregated by income (below 100%), race/ethnicity, and age. If income could not be submitted in a standard form, the state would submit a detailed description of eligibility methodologies that outline relevant income disregards. States would also submit percentages of individuals screened that are enrolled in CHIP and in Medicaid, and the percent screened eligible for Medicaid but not enrolled.
Administrative Spending Reports for Title XXI. States would submit standardized spending reports for the following administrative costs: data systems, outreach efforts and program operation (eligibility/enrollment, etc.).
Coordinate CHIP Data with Title V Data Requirements. Existing reporting requirements for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant provide data based on children's health insurance, including Medicaid. This bill would include the CHIP program in its reporting. IG Audit and GAO Report. The Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services would audit CHIP enrollee data to identify children who are actually eligible for Medicaid. The General Accounting Office will report the results to Congress. Coordination of all Children Data and Reports. The Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation in the Department of Health and Human Services would consolidate all federal data base information and reports on children's health in a clearinghouse.
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