What Options Are There for Title XXI Outreach and Enrollment Efforts?

Although no formal Title XXI regulations had been issued, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) had provided preliminary guidance for SCHIP outreach and enrollment in a letter to State officials dated January 23, 1998. This letter, and other HCFA guidance can be found at http://cms.hhs.gov/schip/. The letter outlines the Title XXI outreach rules, provides examples of and options for successful outreach and enrollment, and describes Federal funding available for such activities.

Several options are available to States for receipt of Federal matching funds to find and enroll uninsured children in Medicaid and/or SCHIP:

Medicaid will match States’ expenditures associated with outreach to Medicaid-eligible children, such as informing families about Medicaid through brochures and other promotional materials, providing necessary forms for Medicaid eligibility determination, and assisting families in completing Medicaid applications.

Under the Non-Medicaid SCHIP Option, up to 10 percent of a State’s SCHIP allotment may be used for non-benefit activities such as outreach to SCHIP-eligible children, administrative costs, and health services initiatives.

The Medicaid SCHIP Option allows outreach activities related to a Medicaid expansion under SCHIP to be matched either from the State’s SCHIP allotment or under regular Medicaid, at the State’s discretion.

The Joint Medicaid-SCHIP Option allows joint Medicaid and SCHIP outreach efforts to be matched by either Medicaid or SCHIP. More detailed guidance on this option is provided in a December 8, 1997, letter to State officials. This letter and other HCFA guidance can be found at http://cms.hhs.gov/schip/

Title XXI Outreach and Enrollment Regulations: Options