Call to Action! Year-Round CHIP and Medicaid Enrollment

Children up to age 19 can enroll in Medicaid and CHIP year round. About half of Texas’s one million uninsured children are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP. Many parents of these eligible children may not realize that there is no deadline for these two programs. It is critically important that everyone who has been working on getting kids and families enrolled continue to do so all year round. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Studies has put together some valuable resources that advocacy and enrollment organizations can use to get the word out about  enrollment. Together, we can spread the word and get more kids covered. And if your organization is on Twitter, you can join the conversation about enrollment by adding the #Enroll365 hashtag to your tweets.

Visit this link to see a long list of materials and more that are available for download: http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/professionals/outreach/strategies/index.html

Resources include:

  • A printable Outreach Poster featuring the National Campaign’s “Kid in Charge." This poster is available in English and Spanish and can be customized for free with your organization’s information.
  • An animated Web Video featuring Sophia and her friends who are all “covered kids.” This 90-second video reminds parents that Medicaid and CHIP enrollment is open year round – and lets parents know they may be eligible for Medicaid too. You can share it with your networks through email newsletters, websites, blogs and social media channels.
  • A Radio Public Service Announcement (PSA), available in English and Spanish. You can share PSA with your local radio stations, or play it as your organization’s telephone “on hold” message, or anywhere else that plays radio broadcasts. Check out CMS’s PSA distribution tips for more ideas.
  • Social Media Graphics are coming soon. These will show examples of covered kids and featuring the year-round enrollment message. You can post these on your organization’s Facebook page, Twitter and other social media channels.

Written by Catherine Samuel, Children's Defense Fund.

Children's Defense Fund - TexasChildren's Health, Medicaid