The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #43650

Joan K. Apt, MBA¹, Rickie Brawer, MPH, CHES², Jodi A. Levinthal³, Juliana Miner, MPH⁴, Marilyn Tadlock, PhD⁵, Judith G. Watman, ACSW, LSW⁶, and Neil A. Weiner, PhD³. (1) Delaware Valley Healthcare Council of HAP, 121 South Broad Street, 20th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107, 215-735-3290, japt@dvhc.org, (2) Community Health, Jefferson Health Systems, 1015 Chestnut Street, Suite 718, Philadelphia, PA 19107, (3) Center for the Study of Youth Policy, University of Pennsylvania, 4621 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19139, (4) Holy Redeemer Health System, 6958 Oakside Drive, Montgomery, AL 36117, (5) Consultant, 2413 Bryn Mawr Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19131, (6) Project Access, Temple University Children's Medical Center, 3509 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140

The goal of the School-Based Health Care Coverage Enrollment Pilot was to determine whether enrollment in CHIP and Medicaid could be correctly and significantly increased for children who attend targeted schools in high poverty areas in Philadelphia. The project was undertaken to evaluate the approach for statewide implementation in Title I schools. The pilot project used intensive outreach and self-declaration with post authorization income verification to increase enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP in target schools and compared the impact of each combination of these interventions. Each cluster of schools was paired with a local hospital. A post authorization audit is being conducted to assess the accuracy of self-declaration. The Delaware Valley Healthcare Council directed the project with the collaboration of the Pennsylvania Departments of Welfare and Insurance, the Philadelphia County Assistance Office, the School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth and the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania. More than 900 children and parents were enrolled because of this project. The number of children enrolled appears to increase as a direct result of using outreach combined with self-declaration of income. Sixty four percent of enrollees were in the group with both self-declaration and outreach, 23% were from the group with outreach only and 12% were in the group with self-declaration only. The pilot found that public schools do not have the means for overcoming barriers to health insurance enrollment without public and community support.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participants will be able to
• Understand how self-declaration coupled with outreach can reduce barriers and increase CHIP and Medicaid enrollment
• Understand how school-based outreach can be used in high poverty, urban areas to enroll children in health insurance

Keywords: Medicaid, School-Based Programs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.