Effective State Medicaid Outreach Strategies
Arkansas' ARKids First Program
Through the Arkansas Department of Human Services, the ARKids First program utilized a Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), waiver to offer medical care to more than 120,000 children estimated to be without health insurance in the State of Arkansas. The program covered Medicaid-eligible children with family incomes up to 200 percent of Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Innovations in outreach and marketing have helped the ARKids First program succeed in enrolling more than 17,000 children in the first 6 months of the program, and enrolling 30,000 children within 1 year of implementation.
[ Marketing Campaign | SCHIP Media Coverage | Internet System ]
Key Components of the ARKids First Marketing Campaign
- Soliciting heavy media coverage, including both newspaper and television spots.
- Implementing an Internet-based system for generation of mailed applications and information upon request.
- Putting a "human face" on the campaign by utilizing "real-life" stories and using children and parents in media throughout the campaign.
- Creating a "non-government"-looking campaign.
- Utilizing a crayon used in the legislative signing as the centerpiece of marketing.
- Printing the program phone number on all materials.
- Focusing on larger health care issues the program intends to address.
Examples of SCHIP Media Coverage
- Day care announcement: News coverage of Governor signing legislation for the program at a local culturally diverse day care.
- Statewide newspaper insert generating calls to the 800 number.
- Kick-off event at State Capitol: Heavy media coverage of the Governor announcing the start of the program on steps of the Capitol with children from local schools standing behind him.
- Major fast food chain joins campaign: Company provides donated lunch for school children during kick-off event and offers to distribute program materials at local restaurants.
- Showcased ARKids First program in local radio station interviews.
ARKids First Internet System
- ARKids First contracted with Electronic Data Systems, Inc. (EDS), to build a "boiler room" to answer calls about the program. Five operators are employed to enter demographic information from callers into a Web site-based form which generates mailing labels. Program materials are then mailed to those who may be eligible for the
program.
- Steps were taken to make the ARKids First Web page a truly interactive vehicle as opposed to merely an information tool.
- Eight months after the kick-off event, the Web page-linked hot-line was receiving 130 calls per day, and a steady volume of program information was being distributed with the EDS-generated mailing labels.
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