The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) was a milestone in the development of quality measurement and improvement in publicly financed health care for children. CHIPRA called for new measures of child health care quality, quality improvement and information technology demonstration grants, new requirements for state public reporting on child health quality, development of a model electronic health record, and a variety of other provisions. Read more »
In this Ask the Expert column, we talk with Jocelyn Guyer, co-executive director of the Georgetown Center for Children and Families, about the opportunities and challenges for states to improve the quality of children's health care presented by the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 and the newly passed health reform law. Read more »
CHIPRA created several funding opportunities for states to increase their coverage of eligible children, and to measure and improve the quality of care they receive. The following Snapshots are examples of how states are using the quality demonstration and outreach grants and making administrative simplifications to increase their coverage of uninsured children who are already eligible for public coverage. Read more »
The New Mexico Human Services Department is receiving nearly $1 million for 2009 to 2011 to design and install standalone kiosks that consumers can use to electronically apply for CHIP and Medicaid at community centers and schools, rather than visiting enrollment offices. Read more »
In partnership with Florida, Illinois is receiving just over $11 million to test the collection and reporting of performance data on measures developed specifically for children, incorporate children's health measures into the state's health information exchange, enhance use of medical homes, support quality improvement efforts focused on birth outcomes, and create a comprehensive strategy to improve children's health through publicly financed programs. Read more »
On February 11, 2010, more than 10,000 Louisiana children were automatically enrolled in the state's Medicaid program. Families received their Medicaid cards in the mail and were notified that their iniital use of the card would affirm they want to enroll their child in the program. Read more »