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Below are articles that support specific interventions to advance MCH National Performance Measures (NPMs) and Standardized Measures (SMs). Most interventions contain multiple components as part of a coordinated strategy/approach.

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Displaying records 1 through 27 (27 total).

Aller J. Enrolling eligible but uninsured children in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP): A multi-district pilot program in Michigan schools (Doctoral dissertation, Central Michigan University). Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences. Vol.75(11-A(E)),2015, pp. No Pagination Specified.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), Collaboration with Local Agencies (State), Collaboration with Local Agencies (Health Care Provider/Practice), CLASSROOM_SCHOOL, PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Outreach (caregiver), Communication Tools, Distribution of Promotional Items (Classroom/School)

Intervention Description: In Michigan, a school-based outreach effort was piloted using existing school communication tools to identify children who are currently uninsured and may be eligible for state-subsidized health insurance. School districts were provided with two health insurance status collection forms to be included with the free and reduced school lunch application, and as part of the student registration packet and welcome materials for school. Completed forms were sent to a state registered application-assisting agency to ensure families can access the coverage and services they need. A final step in the process is outreach to eligible respondents by the Michigan Primary Care Association to help ensure that they receive information and access to the healthcare coverage and services they need.

Intervention Results: As a result of the survey, 156 children were identified as not having health insurance. This represents more than 44% of the 358 children who are eligible for State subsidized health insurance, in the participating school districts, but are uninsured. Integrating the collection of health insurance status into routine school communication channels is an effective way to identify children who do not have health insurance and may be eligible for state subsidized benefits.

Conclusion: 1. The Michigan Department of Community Health should lead the effort to work with the Michigan Department of Education to modify the Free and Reduced Lunch Application to capture whether or not the applicant has health insurance. 2. The Michigan Department of Community Health should lead the effort to incorporate into the direct certified free and reduced lunch eligibility process a systematic check as to whether or not the applicant has State subsidized health insurance. 3. The Michigan Department of Community Health should provide resources from the expected performance bonus to work with schools across the State to implement these changes.

Study Design: Cross-sectional pilot study

Setting: Schools (School districts in Van Buren County, Michigan)

Population of Focus: Uninsured children

Data Source: Survey data

Sample Size: 8,999 children

Age Range: School-aged children

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Bannett Y, Gardner RM, Huffman LC, Feldman HM, Sanders LM. Continuity of Care in Primary Care for Young Children With Chronic Conditions. Acad Pediatr. 2023 Mar;23(2):314-321. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2022.07.012. Epub 2022 Jul 17. PMID: 35858663.

Evidence Rating: Moderate

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Health Insurance Coverage, Continuity of Care (Caseload), Expanded Insurance Coverage,

Intervention Description: N/A

Intervention Results: Of 30,678 children, 1875 (6.1%) were classified with Asthma, 294 (1.0%) with ASD, and 15,465 (50.4%) as Controls. Overall CoC was lower for Asthma (Mean = 0.58, SD 0.21) and ASD (M = 0.57, SD = 0.20) than Controls (M = 0.66, SD = 0.21); differences in well-care CoC were minimal. In regression models, lower overall CoC was found for Asthma (aOR = 0.90, 95% CI, 0.85-0.94). Lower overall and well-care CoC were associated with public insurance (aOR = 0.77, CI, 0.74-0.81; aOR = 0.64, CI, 0.59-0.69).

Conclusion: After accounting for patient and clinical-care factors, children with asthma, but not with ASD, in this primary-care network had significantly lower CoC compared to children without chronic conditions. Public insurance was the most prominent patient factor associated with low CoC, emphasizing the need to address disparities in CoC.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of electronic health records from office visits of children <9 years, seen ≥4 times between 2015 and 2019 in 10 practices of a community-based primary health care network in California. Three cohorts were constructed: 1) Asthma: ≥2 visits with asthma visit diagnoses; 2) ASD: same method; 3) Controls: no chronic conditions. CoC, using Usual Provider of Care measure (range > 0–1), was calculated for 1) all visits (overall) and 2) well-care visits. Fractional regression models examined CoC adjusting for patient age, medical insurance, practice affiliation, and number of visits.

Setting: California

Population of Focus: Children with chronic conditions

Sample Size: 30678

Age Range: <9

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Baumann KJ, Adera T. Sociodemographic Characteristics and Inadequate Usual Sources of Healthcare in a National Sample of US Refugees. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jun 13;19(12):7234. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19127234. PMID: 35742484; PMCID: PMC9223584.

Evidence Rating: Moderate

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Health Insurance Coverage, Access, Educational Material, Targeting Interventions to Focused Groups

Intervention Description: N/A

Intervention Results: Refugees with interrupted healthcare coverage were more likely to have an inadequate USC. Refugees who were young (age 10-19), resettled into the western region of the US, and highly educated were less likely to have an inadequate USC. Refugees with an education level higher than secondary had a significantly lower likelihood of having a severely deficient USC, while refugees with interrupted healthcare were more than twice as likely to have a severely deficient USC.

Conclusion: Considering these results alongside our previous healthcare coverage findings provides a more comprehensive understanding of sociodemographic predictors of poor healthcare access among refugees resettled into the US. This improved understanding has the potential to assist early refugee contacts toward more effective healthcare resource allocation and aid policymakers attempting to improve programs linked to refugee healthcare access.

Study Design: We used multiple binary logistic regression methods to identify sociodemographic predictors of inadequate USCs. In addition, we used multinomial logistic regression to further assess predictors of inadequate USCs with a particular focus on severely deficit USCs (i.e., emergency department dependence and USC absence).

Setting: 2016 Annual Survey of Refugees; United States

Population of Focus: Refugees

Sample Size: 4037

Age Range: 16-75

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Brantley, E., & Ku, L. (2022). Continuous Eligibility for Medicaid Associated With Improved Child Health Outcomes. Medical care research and review : MCRR, 79(3), 404–413. https://doi.org/10.1177/10775587211021172

Evidence Rating: Emerging

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Health Insurance Coverage,

Intervention Description: Fluctuating insurance coverage, or churning, is a recognized barrier to health care access. We assessed whether state policies that allow children to remain covered in Medicaid for a 12-month period, regardless of fluctuations in income, are associated with health and health care outcomes, after controlling for individual factors and other Medicaid policies. This cross-sectional study uses a large, nationally representative database of children ages 0 to 17.

Intervention Results: Continuous eligibility was associated with improved rates of insurance, reductions in gaps in insurance and gaps due to application problems, and lower probability of being in fair or poor health. For children with special health care needs, it was associated with increases in use of medical care and preventive and specialty care access. However, continuous eligibility was not associated with health care utilization outcomes for the full sample.

Conclusion: Continuous eligibility may be an effective strategy to reduce gaps in coverage for children and reduce paperwork burden on Medicaid agencies.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study

Setting: States with continuous eligibility policies for children in Medicaid is the United States

Population of Focus: Low-income children below 138% of the poverty level, who are income-eligible for Medicaid at the time of the survey

Sample Size: 22,622 respondents

Age Range: Children aged 0 to 17 years old

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Brantley, E., & Ku, L. (2022). Continuous Eligibility for Medicaid Associated With Improved Child Health Outcomes. Medical care research and review : MCRR, 79(3), 404–413. https://doi.org/10.1177/10775587211021172

Evidence Rating: Moderate

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Medicaid, Health Insurance Coverage, Public Insurance (State),

Intervention Description: Fluctuating insurance coverage, or churning, is a recognized barrier to health care access. We assessed whether state policies that allow children to remain covered in Medicaid for a 12-month period, regardless of fluctuations in income, are associated with health and health care outcomes, after controlling for individual factors and other Medicaid policies. This cross-sectional study uses a large, nationally representative database of children ages 0 to 17.

Intervention Results: Continuous eligibility was associated with improved rates of insurance, reductions in gaps in insurance and gaps due to application problems, and lower probability of being in fair or poor health. For children with special health care needs, it was associated with increases in use of medical care and preventive and specialty care access. However, continuous eligibility was not associated with health care utilization outcomes for the full sample.

Conclusion: Continuous eligibility may be an effective strategy to reduce gaps in coverage for children and reduce paperwork burden on Medicaid agencies.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study

Setting: State Medicaid policies

Population of Focus: Children aged 0 to 17 years old with annual family incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty line (FPL) and a subpopulation of children in low-income families with special health care needs, based on specific criteria related to health problems that require special assistance or limit the child's abilities

Sample Size: 22,622 respondents aged 0 to 17 years old with annual family incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty line (FPL); subpopulation of 6,081 children with special health care needs in low-income families

Age Range: Children and adolescents 0-17 years

Access Abstract

Bronstein JM, Capilouto E, Carlo WA, Haywood JL, Goldenberg RL. Access to neonatal intensive care for low-birthweight infants: the role of maternal characteristics. Am J Public Health. 1995;85(3):357-361.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Health Insurance Coverage, Prenatal Care Access

Intervention Description: Multivariate analysis of Alabama vital statistics records between 1988 and 1990 for infants weighing 500 to 1499 g was conducted, comparing hospital of birth and maternal and infant transfer status, and controlling for infant birthweight and for maternal pregnancy history and demographic characteristics.

Intervention Results: With other factors adjusted for, non-White mothers with early prenatal care were more likely than White mothers to deliver their very low birthweight infants in hospitals with neonatal ICUs without transfer. Among the mothers who presented first at hospitals without such facilities, those who had late prenatal care were less likely than those with early care to be transferred to hospitals with neonatal ICUs before delivery. Medicaid coverage increased the likelihood of antenatal transfer for White women. Likelihood of infant transfer was not associated with these maternal characteristics.

Conclusion: Maternal race, prenatal care use, and insurance status may influence the likelihood that very low birthweight infants will have access to neonatal intensive care. Interventions to improve perinatal regionalization should address individual and system barriers to the timely referral of high-risk mothers.

Study Design: Multivariate analysis

Setting: N/A

Data Source: Vital records for all infants with birthweights between 500 and 1499 g for the years 1988, 1989, and 1990 in the state of Alabama form the database for this study (n = 2596). Infant birthweight; maternal county of residence, zip code of residence, race, age, and education; month in which prenatal care began; parity; previous post-20-week pregnancy termination; previous infant death; hospital of delivery; and transfer either of the mother prior to delivery or of the infant after delivery are reported on the vital record. The state health department links birth certificate and death certificate records, so date of death within 12 months of birth is also included on the vital record. However, the vital records file does not include data on infants born in out-ofstate hospitals to mothers resident in Alabama.

Sample Size: 2596 infant records

Age Range: N/A

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Brown QL, Hasin DS, Keyes KM, Fink DS, Ravenell O, Martins SS. Health insurance, alcohol and tobacco use among pregnant and non-pregnant women of reproductive age. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 2016;166:116-24.

Evidence Rating: Mixed Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT/CONSUMER, Health Insurance Coverage

Intervention Description: We examined the association between health insurance coverage and both past month alcohol use and past month tobacco use in a nationally representative sample of women age 12-44 years old, by pregnancy status.

Intervention Results: Pregnancy status significantly moderated the relationship between health insurance and tobacco use (p-value≤0.01) and alcohol use (p-value≤0.01). Among pregnant women, being insured was associated with lower odds of alcohol use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.27-0.82), but not associated with tobacco use (AOR=1.14; 95% CI=0.73-1.76). Among non-pregnant women, being insured was associated with lower odds of tobacco use (AOR=0.67; 95% CI=0.63-0.72), but higher odds of alcohol use (AOR=1.23; 95% CI=1.15-1.32).

Conclusion: Access to health care, via health insurance coverage is a promising method to help reduce alcohol use during pregnancy. However, despite health insurance coverage, tobacco use persists during pregnancy, suggesting missed opportunities for prevention during prenatal visits.

Study Design: Quasi experimental cross sectional

Setting: Participants in the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) 2010-2013

Population of Focus: Non-pregnant and pregnant women 12 to 44 years old with and without health insurance from large data set after passage of ACA

Data Source: National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) 2010-2013

Sample Size: 97788

Age Range: Not specified

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Caskey R, Moran K, Touchette D, Martin M, Munoz G, Kanabar P, Van Voorhees B. Effect of comprehensive care coordination on medicaid expenditures compared with usual care among children and youth with chronic disease: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA network open. 2019 Oct 2;2(10):e1912604-.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Care Coordination, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice)

Intervention Description: The Coordinated Healthcare for Complex Kids (CHECK) model takes a broad approach to care coordination and health promotion by addressing social determinants of health, caregiver wellness, and mental health needs, in addition to chronic disease management, for children and youth with chronic health conditions. Community health workers deliver care coordination and assess individual and family needs, as well as patterns of health care utilization, to determine specific services offered to each family. The program is focused on lowering health care costs, especially regarding emergency department admissions, of pediatric patients with chronic health conditions.

Intervention Results: Overall Medicaid expenditures and utilization decreased considerably during the first year of the CHECK program for both participants and the usual care group. Notably, expenditures did not increase among CHECK participants, which has been noted in other care coordination programs. The rate of inpatient and ED utilization decreased for both groups. The mean (SD) inpatient utilization before enrollment in CHECK was 63.0 (344.4) per 1000 PYs for the intervention group and 69.3 (370.9) per 1000 PYs for the usual care group, which decreased to 43.5 (297.2) per 1000 PYs and 47.8 (304.9) per 1000 PYs, respectively, after the intervention.

Conclusion: Overall Medicaid expenditures and health care utilization (hospital and ED) decreased similarly for both CHECK participants and the usual care group.

Study Design: RCT

Setting: Community (Coordinated Healthcare for Complex Kids (CHECK) program; Illinois Medicaid)

Population of Focus: Children and young adults with chronic disease who receive public insurance

Data Source: Illinois Medicaid paid claims for CHECK participants using the Care Coordination Claims Data (CCCD) provided by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services

Sample Size: 6,245 children and young adults (3,119 in the control group and 3,126 in the intervention group)

Age Range: Children <1 and youth >18 (mean age was 11.3 years)

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Chao R, Bertonaschi S, Gazmararian J. Healthy beginnings: A system of care for children in Atlanta. Health Affairs. 2014;33(12):2260-2264.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), Educational Material (Provider), Collaboration with Local Agencies (State), Collaboration with Local Agencies (Health Care Provider/Practice), Nurse/Nurse Practitioner, PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Patient Navigation (Assistance), Care Coordination, STATE, Multicomponent Approach

Intervention Description: The Healthy Beginnings system of care in Atlanta, GA connects children and their families to health insurance and a medical home model of care to support children’s health and development. The main components are care management + education and parent engagement + collaborative partnerships. A registered nurse, known as the health navigator, supports parents and helps them learn how to work with health care professionals on behalf of their children; they also connect parents to the Center for Working Families to ensure that they receive public benefits for which they are eligible.

Intervention Results: Healthy Beginnings coordinated care approach has ensured that participating children and families have health insurance (97%) and receive regular immunizations (92%), ongoing health care from a primary care physician and dental health provider, and regular developmental screenings (98%) and follow-up care. Healthy Beginnings has dramatically increased children’s access to health care and forms the basis for a cost-effective approach that can be replicated in other communities.

Conclusion: By building upon the partnerships formed through the foundation’s community change effort, Healthy Beginnings has dramatically increased neighborhood children’s access to health care and forms the basis for a cost-effective approach that can be replicated in other communities.

Study Design: Program evaluation

Setting: Community (Community-based organizations in Atlanta, Georgia)

Population of Focus: Low-income young children and families

Data Source: Questionnaire data

Sample Size: 279 children

Age Range: 0-10 years

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Cousineau, M. R., Kim, S. E., Hamilton, A. S., Miller, K. A., & Milam, J. (2019). Insurance Coverage, and Having a Regular Provider, and Utilization of Cancer Follow-up and Noncancer Health Care Among Childhood Cancer Survivors. Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financing, 56, 46958018817996. https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958018817996

Evidence Rating: Moderate

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Health Insurance Coverage,

Intervention Description: The objective of this study was to assess the role of health insurance coverage on patterns of health care utilization and access to cancer-related follow-up and non-cancer care among childhood cancer survivors (CCS). Cross-sectional survey design was used. Childhood cancer survivors were from 2 large hospitals in Los Angeles County. In all, 235 were identified through the Los Angeles Cancer Surveillance Program, diagnosed between the ages of 5 and 18 in 2000-2007 with any cancer type except Hodgkin lymphoma. At data collection in 2009-2010, participants were between 15 and 25 years old. Study exposure was health insurance coverage (private, public, and uninsured). Main outcomes and measures were respondents' regular source of care for cancer follow-up, noncancer care, and both; and having a cancer follow-up visit, primary care visit, and hospital emergency department visit in the past 2 years.

Intervention Results: Compared with those with private insurance, the uninsured were less likely to have a regular source for cancer follow-up (odds ratio [OR] = 4.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.9-9.4), less likely to have a source for noncancer care (OR = 3.3, 95% CI 1.6-6.9), and less likely to have a source of care for both (OR = 5.3, 95% CI = 2.1-13.5). Furthermore, uninsured CCS were less likely to have made visits to cancer specialists (OR = 4.5, 95% CI = 2.1-9.50) and were less likely to have seen a primary care physician in the past 2 years (OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.8-8.2). In addition, those with public (vs private) insurance were less likely to have a regular provider for primary care (OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.1-5.4) and less likely to have made a primary care visit in the past year (OR = 2.8, 95% CI = 2.1-13.5). Uninsured CCS are at risk of not obtaining cancer follow-up care, and those with public (vs. private) insurance have less access to primary care.

Conclusion: Policies that ensure continuity of coverage for survivors as they age into adulthood may result in fewer barriers to needed care, which may lead to fewer health problems for CCS in the future.

Study Design: Cross-sectional survey design

Setting: Two large hospitals in Los Angeles County.

Population of Focus: Childhood cancer survivors who were diagnosed with any type of cancer (except Hodgkin lymphoma) between the ages of 5 and 18

Sample Size: 235 childhood cancer survivors

Age Range: Children between the ages of 5 and 18

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DeSisto, C. L., Rohan, A., Handler, A., Awadalla, S. S., Johnson, T., & Rankin, K. (2020). The Effect of Continuous Versus Pregnancy-Only Medicaid Eligibility on Routine Postpartum Care in Wisconsin, 2011-2015. Maternal and child health journal, 24(9), 1138–1150. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-020-02924-4

Evidence Rating: Moderate

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Health Insurance Coverage,

Intervention Description: Continuous Medicaid eligibility Vs. pregnancy-only Medicaid after delivery

Intervention Results: After adjusting for maternal characteristics, women with continuous Medicaid eligibility had a postpartum visit rate that was 6 percentage points higher than the rate for women with pregnancy-only Medicaid

Conclusion: Women with pregnancy-only Medicaid were less likely to have received routine postpartum care than women with continuous Medicaid. Medicaid coverage beyond the current guaranteed 60 days postpartum could help provide more women access to postpartum care.

Study Design: Observational study that used linked Medicaid claims, Medicaid eligibility, and infant birth certificates

Setting: Birth settings where Medicaid is accepted

Population of Focus: Women who reside in Wisconsin and delivered at least one live birth during 2011–2015 that was paid for by Medicaid

Sample Size: 105718

Age Range: <20--≥35

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DeVoe JE, Marino M, Angier H, O’Malley JP, Crawford C, Nelson C, Tillotson CJ, Bailey SR, Gallia C, Gold R. Effect of expanding Medicaid for parents on children’s health insurance coverage: lessons from the Oregon experiment. JAMA pediatrics. 2015 Jan 1;169(1):e143145-.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), STATE, Perinatal Committees/Councils

Intervention Description: Numerous states have implemented policies expanding public insurance eligibility or subsidizing private insurance for parents. Under the ACA, states retain significant flexibility in terms of eligibility and program structure. Approaches to state-level expansions to parents include providing public health insurance with or without an enrollee premium and providing subsidies for private health insurance. The Oregon Experiment (Medicaid expansion) gave a subset of uninsured, low-income adults access to Medicaid through a randomized selection process.

Intervention Results: Children’s odds of having Medicaid or CHIP coverage increased when their parents were randomly selected to apply for Medicaid; findings demonstrate a causal link between parents’ access to Medicaid coverage and their children’s coverage. Children whose parents were randomly selected to apply for Medicaid had 18% higher odds of being covered in the first 6 months after parent’s selection compared with children whose parents were not selected. In the immediate period after selection, children whose parents were selected to apply for Medicaid significantly increased from 3830 (61.4%) to 4152 (66.6%) compared with a non-significant change from 5049 (61.8%) to 5044 (61.7%) for children whose parents were not selected to apply. The effect remained significant during months 7 to 12; months 13 to 18 showed a positive but not significant effect. Children whose parents were selected and obtained coverage had more than double the odds of having coverage compared with children whose parents were not selected and did not gain coverage.

Conclusion: Children’s odds of having Medicaid or CHIP coverage increased when their parents were randomly selected to apply for Medicaid. Children whose parents were selected and subsequently obtained coverage benefited most. This study demonstrates a causal link between parents’ access to Medicaid coverage and their children’s coverage.

Study Design: Randomized natural experiment; generalized estimating equation models

Setting: Policy (Oregon Medicaid expansion program)

Population of Focus: Children whose parents participated in the Oregon Experiment (Medicaid expansion program)

Data Source: The Oregon Experiment’s reservation list data; Oregon Health Plan (OHP) administrative data

Sample Size: 14,409 children

Age Range: 2-18 Years

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Flores G, Lin H, Walker C, Lee M, Currie J, Allgeyer R, Fierro M, Henry M, Portillo A, Massey K. Parent mentoring program increases coverage rates for uninsured Latino children. Health Affairs. 2018 Mar 1;37(3):403-12.

Evidence Rating: Moderate Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), Educational Material (Provider), PARENT_FAMILY, Training (Parent/Family), PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Outreach (caregiver), PATIENT_CONSUMER, Peer Counselor, Parent Mentors

Intervention Description: The aim of the Kids’ Health Insurance by Educating Lots of Parents (Kids’ HELP) study was to evaluate the effects of parent mentors – Latino parents with children covered by Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) – on insuring Latino children in a community-based trial of uninsured children from 2011-2015. Parent mentors were trained to assist families in getting insurance coverage, accessing health care, and addressing social determinants of health. The intervention group was assigned parent mentors – trained, fluently bilingual Latino parents who had at least one child insured by Medicaid or CHIP for at least one year. Parent mentors attended a two-day training and received training manuals in English and Spanish with 9 training topics and one on sharing experiences. Parents mentors provided 8 services to intervention children and families (e.g., teaching about types of insurance programs and application processes; helping parents complete and submit children’s insurance applications; acting as family advocates by liaising between families and Medicaid or CHIP agencies; and helping parents complete and submit applications for coverage renewal).

Intervention Results: The study found that parent mentors were more effective than traditional methods in insuring children (95% vs. 69%), achieving faster coverage and greater parental satisfaction, reducing unmet health care needs, providing children with primary care providers, and improving the quality of well-child and subspecialty care. Children in the parent-mentor group had higher quality of overall and specialty care, lower out-of-pocket spending, and higher rates of coverage two years after the end of the intervention (100% vs. 70%). Parent mentors are highly effective in insuring uninsured Latino children and eliminating disparities. Parent mentors, as a special category of community health workers, could be an excellent fit with and complement to current state community health worker models. This RCT documented that the Kids’ HELP intervention is significantly more efficacious than traditional Medicaid and CHIP methods of insuring Latino children. Kids’ HELP eliminates coverage disparities for Latino children, insures children more quickly and with greater parental satisfaction than among control parents, enhances health care access, reduces unmet needs, improves the quality of well-child and subspecialty care, reduces out-of-pocket spending and family financial burden, empowers parents, ad creates jobs.

Conclusion: Parent mentors are highly effective in insuring uninsured Latino children and eliminating disparities.

Study Design: RCT

Setting: Community (Communities in Dallas County, Texas with the highest proportions of uninsured and low-income minority children)

Population of Focus: Uninsured children 0-18 years old whose primary caregiver identified them as Latino and uninsured and reported meeting Medicaid/CHIP eligibility criteria for the child

Data Source: Kids’ HELP trial data; questionnaires

Sample Size: 155 subjects (children and parents); 75 in the control group and 80 in the intervention group

Age Range: 0-18 years

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Flores G, Lin H, Walker C, Lee M, Currie JM, Allgeyer R, Fierro M, Henry M, Portillo A, Massey K. Parent mentors and insuring uninsured children: A randomized controlled trial. Pediatrics. 2016 Apr 1;137(4).

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), Educational Material (Provider), PARENT_FAMILY, Training (Parent/Family), PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Outreach (caregiver), PATIENT_CONSUMER, Peer Counselor, Parent Mentors

Intervention Description: This study examined the effects of parent mentors on insuring minority children in the Kids’ Health Insurance by Educating Lots of Parents (Kids’ HELP) program. Parent mentors were experienced parents with ≥1 Medicaid/CHIP-covered child who received 2 days of training, then assisted families for 1 year with insurance applications, retaining coverage, medical homes, and social needs; controls received traditional Medicaid/CHIP outreach. Parent mentors received monthly stipends for each family mentored. Parents mentors and intervention participants were matched by race/ethnicity and zip code, whenever possible. Latino families were matched with fluently bilingual Latino parent mentors. Session content for the 2-day training was based on training provided to community case managers in the research team’s previous successful RCT and addressed 9 topics (e.g., why health insurance is so important; being a successful parent mentor; parent mentor responsibilities; Medicaid and CHIP programs and the application process; the importance of medical homes).

Intervention Results: In the Kids’ HELP trial, the intervention was more effective than traditional outreach/enrollment in insuring uninsured minority children, resulting in 95% of children obtaining insurance vs. 68% of controls. The intervention also insured children faster, and was more effective in renewing coverage, improving access to medical and dental care, reducing out-of-pocket costs, achieving parental satisfaction and quality of care, and sustaining insurance after intervention cessation. This is the first RCT to evaluate the effectiveness of parent mentors in insuring uninsured children. Kids’ HELP could possibly save $12.1 to $14.1 billion. Parent mentors were more effective in improving access to primary, dental, and specialty care; reducing unmet needs, achieving parental satisfaction with care, and sustaining long-term coverage. Parent mentors resulted in lower out-of-pocket costs for doctor and sick visits, higher well-child care quality ratings, and higher levels of parental satisfaction and respect from children’s physicians.

Conclusion: PMs are more effective than traditional Medicaid/CHIP methods in insuring uninsured minority children, improving health care access, and achieving parental satisfaction, but are inexpensive and highly cost-effective.

Study Design: RCT

Setting: Community (Communities in Dallas County, Texas with the highest proportions of uninsured and low-income minority children)

Population of Focus: Primary caregiver had ≥1 child 0 to 18 years old who lacked health insurance but was Medicaid/CHIP eligible, and the primary caregiver self-identified the child as Latino/Hispanic or African-American

Data Source: Kids’ HELP trial data; questionnaires; national, state, and regional surveys

Sample Size: 237 participants; 114 in the control group and 123 in the intervention group

Age Range: 0-18 years

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Fuld J, Farag M, Weinstein J, Gale LB. Enrolling and retaining uninsured and underinsured populations in public health insurance through a service integration model in New York City. American Journal of Public Health. 2013 Feb;103(2):202-5.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Education/Training (caregiver), Collaboration with Local Agencies (State), Educational Material (caregiver), STATE, Multicomponent Approach

Intervention Description: In New York, to maximize comprehensive insurance coverage for CYSHCN, a Service Integration Model was formed between the Office of Health Insurance Services and the Early Intervention Program. The 3 key components include educational messaging (jointly prepared messages about health insurance benefits and enrollment assistance offered by the Office of Health Insurance Services through the Early Intervention Program) + data from program databases (data matching with the Early Intervention Program) + individual counseling using program staff (incorporation of the Office of Health Insurance Services program staff—child benefit advisors—to work directly with parents of children in the Early Intervention Program to facilitate enrollment and renewal. The model overcomes enrollment barriers by using consumer friendly enrollment materials and one-on-one assistance, and shows the benefits of a comprehensive and collaborative approach to assisting families with enrollment into public health insurance.

Intervention Results: Since 2008, more than 5,000 children in the Early Intervention Program have been successfully enrolled and coverage renewed in Medicaid through the Service Integration Model. In 2008, the study team found that children in the Early Intervention Program had a 34% churning rate for Medicaid because of enrollment barriers and misconception of the Early Intervention Program as a replacement for Medicaid. By 2010, the churning rate for clients assisted through Office of Health Insurance Services was reduced from 34% to 8%. The Office of Health Insurance Services will modify the Service Integration Model to respond to New York State’s implementation of the Health Insurance Exchange required by the 2010 ACA. Partnerships across government programs and agencies offer opportunities to enroll hard-to-reach populations into public health insurance. The model reflects how government programs can work together to improve rates of enrollment and retention in public health insurance. The key elements of integration of program messages, data matching, and staff involvement allow for the model to be tailored to the specific needs of other government programs.

Conclusion: The model overcomes enrollment barriers by using consumer-friendly enrollment materials and one-on-one assistance, and shows the benefits of a comprehensive and collaborative approach to assisting families with enrollment into public health insurance.

Study Design: Program evaluation

Setting: Community (New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Office of Health Insurance Services and the Early Intervention Program)

Population of Focus: Uninsured and underinsured young children with special health care needs in New York City participating in the Early Intervention Program

Data Source: Evaluation data

Sample Size: 6,500 children in early intervention with a Medicaid number

Age Range: 0-3 years

Access Abstract

Giuntella O, Lonsky J. The effects of DACA on health insurance, access to care, and health outcomes. J Health Econ. 2020 Jul;72:102320. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2020.102320. Epub 2020 May 11. PMID: 32485653.

Evidence Rating: Mixed

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Health Insurance Coverage, Access, Increased Access

Intervention Description: This paper studies the effects of the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative on health insurance coverage, access to care, health care use, and health outcomes. We exploit a difference-in-differences setup that relies on the discontinuities in the program eligibility criteria.

Intervention Results: We find that DACA increased insurance coverage. In states that granted access to Medicaid, the increase was driven by an increase in public insurance take-up. Where public coverage was not available, DACA eligibility increased individually purchased insurance. Despite the increase in insurance coverage, we find small or non-significant increases in health care use. There is some evidence that DACA increased demand for mental health services.

Conclusion: After 2012, DACA-eligible individuals were also more likely to report a usual place of care and less likely to delay care because of financial restrictions. Finally, we find some evidence that DACA improved self-reported health and reduced depression symptoms, indicators of stress and anxiety, and hypertension. These improvements are concentrated among individuals with income below the federal poverty level.

Study Design: We exploit a difference-in-differences setup that relies on the discontinuities in the program eligibility criteria.

Setting: NHIS Survey

Population of Focus: DACA recipients

Sample Size: 246,178 (NHIS)

Age Range: 18-50

Access Abstract

Guy GP, M Johnston E, Ketsche P, Joski P, Adams EK. The Role of Public and Private Insurance Expansions and Premiums for Low-income Parents. Medical Care. 2017 Mar 1;55(3):236-43.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), NATIONAL, Policy/Guideline (National)

Intervention Description: Numerous states have implemented policies expanding public insurance eligibility or subsidizing private insurance for parents. Under the ACA, states retain significant flexibility in terms of eligibility and program structure. This study assessed the impact of parental health insurance expansions from 1999 to 2012 on the likelihood that parents are insured; their children are insured; both the parent and child within a family unit are insured; and the type of insurance. Cross-state and within-state multivariable regression models estimated the effects of health insurance expansions targeting parents using 2-way fixed effect modeling and difference-in-difference modeling.

Intervention Results: Cross-state analyses demonstrate that public expansions without premiums and special subsidized plan expansions had the largest effects on parental coverage and increased the likelihood of jointly insuring the parent and child. Expansions increased parental coverage by 2.5 percentage points and increased the likelihood of both parent and child being insured by 2.1 percentage points. Substantial variation was observed by type of expansion. Public expansions without premiums and special subsidized plan expansions had the largest effects on parental coverage and increased the likelihood of jointly insuring both the parent and child. Higher premiums were a substantial deterrent to parents’ insurance. Our findings suggest that premiums and the type of insurance expansion can have a substantial impact on the insurance status of the family. The most effective expansions for parental insurance coverage were those for traditional Medicaid coverage without premiums and for special subsidized plans that subsidized costs for individuals to purchase state-sponsored plans. These findings can help inform states as they continue to make decisions about expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to cover all family members.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that premiums and the type of insurance expansion can have a substantial impact on the insurance status of the family. These findings can help inform states as they continue to make decisions about expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to cover all family members.

Study Design: Cross-sectional analysis of data

Setting: Policy (States)

Population of Focus: Parents ≤ 300% FPL who were eligible for insurance expansions in selected states

Data Source: 2000–2013 March supplements to the Current Population Survey, with data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey—Insurance Component and the Area Resource File

Sample Size: 19 expansion states (representing 28 expansions) and 22 control states without a parental expansion during the study period

Age Range: Parents and children; specific ages not stated

Access Abstract

Harding RL, Hall JD, DeVoe J, Angier H, Gold R, Nelson C, Likumahuwa-Ackman S, Heintzman J, Sumic A, Cohen DJ. Maintaining public health insurance benefits: How primary care clinics help keep low-income patients insured. Patient Experience Journal. 2017;4(3):61-9.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Educational Material (caregiver), Patient Navigation (Assistance), Outreach (Provider), Enrollment Assistance

Intervention Description: Community Health Centers (CHCs) serving low-income populations are well-positioned to support patients navigating the complexities of the public health insurance application process and prevent lapses in coverage. Specialized staff, called enrollment assistants, can help to determine insurance eligibility and/or guide patients through application processes, including assistance with completing application forms, understanding requirements, and providing appropriate documentation.

Intervention Results: Enrollment assistants are valuable resources, and CHCs are effective at helping patients with public health insurance. The enrollment assistants helped families understand the process and avoid mistakes and delays while patients valued their advice and their pragmatic, hands-on application assistance.

Conclusion: Patients’ understanding of eligibility status, reapplication schedules, and how to apply, were major barriers to insurance enrollment. Clinic staff addressed these barriers by reminding patients when applications were due, assisting with applications as needed, and tracking submitted applications to ensure approval. Families trusted clinic staff with insurance enrollment support, and appreciated it. CHCs are effective at helping patients with public health insurance. Access to insurance expiration data, tools enabling enrollment activities, and compensation are needed to support enrollment services in CHCs.

Study Design: Observational cross-case comparison

Setting: Community (Community-health centers in Oregon)

Population of Focus: Practice members (e.g., managers, clinical and non-clinical staff, enrollment assistants) and families using community health centers

Data Source: Observations and interviews

Sample Size: 4 Community Health Centers (CHCs) in Oregon; 26 practice members; 18 adult family members who had at least one pediatric patient

Age Range: Parents and children; specific ages not stated

Access Abstract

Hirschi M, Walter AW, Wilson K, Jankovsky K, Dworetzky B, Comeau M, Bachman SS. Access to care among children with disabilities enrolled in the MassHealth CommonHealth Buy-In program. Journal of Child Health Care. 2019 Mar;23(1):6-19.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), Medicaid

Intervention Description: The Massachusetts Medicaid Buy-In program, called MassHealth CommonHealth, allows families of children with disabilities to buy into the state’s Medicaid program to cover more services and to defray costs that private insurance does not cover. Children with disabilities who do not have other insurance can use the program as their sole insurance; Children with disabilities who have other insurance can use the program as a secondary payer to supplement coverage and reduce families’ out-of-pocket costs due to the deductible, co-payments, and coinsurance for the child. Adopting a Medicaid Buy-In program may be an effective way for states to create a pathway to Medicaid for children with disabilities whose family income is too high for Medicaid and who have unmet needs and/or whose families incur high out-of-pocket costs for their care.

Intervention Results: This study suggests that the MassHealth CommonHealth Buy-In program improves access to care for children with disabilities by providing the benefits that were limited in scope or unavailable through other insurance before enrollment and by making available services more affordable. Parents reported that this increased access resulted in improvements in their child’s health or functioning, reduced stress on the parents and families, and reduced financial strain. Overall, many respondents appreciated the CommonHealth program. Despite these benefits, other families reported that they continued to face barriers in access to care for their children with disabilities. They reported difficulty in finding mental health or dental care, as many of these providers (as well as other specialists) did not accept MassHealth. Even with CommonHealth, families still had high out-of-pocket costs due to services that are not covered or high CommonHealth premiums. Families also struggled with complex paperwork requirements. Policy and administrative changes could improve the program and further increase access to care for children with complex, costly conditions. Adopting a Medicaid Buy-In program may be an effective way for other states to create a pathway to Medicaid for children with disabilities whose family income is too high for Medicaid and who have unmet needs and/or whose families incur high out-of-pocket costs for their care.

Conclusion: Data suggest that CommonHealth improves access to care for children with disabilities by providing the benefits that were limited in scope or unavailable through other insurance before enrollment and by making available services more affordable. Policy and administrative changes could improve the program and further increase access to care for children with complex, costly conditions. Adopting a Medicaid Buy-In program may be an effective way for states to create a pathway to Medicaid for children with disabilities whose family income is too high for Medicaid and who have unmet needs and/or whose families incur high out-of-pocket costs for their care.

Study Design: Survey

Setting: Policy (CommonHealth, Massachusetts's Medicaid Buy-In program)

Population of Focus: Parents and caregivers of Massachusetts children with disabilities enrolled in CommonHealth

Data Source: Survey data

Sample Size: 615 families

Age Range: 0-18 years

Access Abstract

Jenkins JM. Healthy and Ready to Learn: Effects of a School‐Based Public Health Insurance Outreach Program for Kindergarten‐Aged Children. Journal of School Health. 2018 Jan;88(1):44-53.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), Provider Training/Education, Nurse/Nurse Practitioner, CLASSROOM_SCHOOL, Teacher/Staff Training, PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Outreach (caregiver), Outreach (School Staff)

Intervention Description: Healthy and Ready to Learn is a targeted, school-based CHIP and Medicaid outreach initiative for identifying and enrolling eligible and uninsured children entering kindergarten in North Carolina’s highest need counties. School nurses and administrative staff attend regional trainings on how to use a required health assessment form, submitted at school entry, to identify uninsured children who could be eligible but are not enrolled in public insurance. Continuous community-based outreach (e.g., attending community events, providing outreach materials in various languages, contacting local organizations and leaders to help inform families about CHIP and Medicaid) is also utilized.

Intervention Results: With increased enrollment rates and well-child exam rates, findings demonstrate the potential benefits of using schools as a point of intervention in enrolling young children in public health insurance and as a source of trusted information for parents from low-income backgrounds. The initiative increased enrollment rates by 12.2% points and increased well-child exam rates by 8.6% points in the regression discontinuity design models, but not differences-in-differences, and did not significantly increase well-child visits. Findings demonstrate the potential benefits of using schools as a point of intervention in enrolling young children in public health insurance and as a source of trusted information for low-income parents.

Conclusion: Findings demonstrate the potential benefits of using schools as a point of intervention in enrolling young children in public health insurance and as a source of trusted information for low-income parents.

Study Design: Quasi-experimental difference-in-difference and regression discontinuity

Setting: Schools (Elementary schools in North Carolina)

Population of Focus: Uninsured kindergarten-aged children in high economic need counties in North Carolina

Data Source: Medicaid and CHIP administrative data, focus groups, key informant interviews

Sample Size: 300 children; 16 counties were selected as intervention sites that included 278 elementary schools in 22 districts; in the second year, expanded to 32 counties

Age Range: 4-6 years

Access Abstract

Phillips MA, Rivera MD, Shoemaker JA, Minyard K. Georgia's utilization minigrant program: promoting Medicaid/CHIP outreach. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. 2010;21(4):1282-91.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Collaboration with Local Agencies (State), PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Outreach (caregiver), PATIENT_CONSUMER, Referrals, STATE, Mini Grants, Public Insurance (State)

Intervention Description: Small grants to community-based organizations have been shown to be effective in garnering the involvement of the local community in health promotion efforts. The Georgia Utilization Mini-grant Program leveraged modest funding and resources to promote community involvement to improve enrollment and utilization of Medicaid and CHIP services for children. It demonstrates how a state Medicaid agency can step outside its usual administrative role to play an important part in supporting local outreach and marketing efforts to promote Medicaid/CHIP enrollment and utilization.

Intervention Results: Funded community-based organizations improved utilization of children’s health services by developing innovative staffing patterns, creating new data systems for scheduling appointments and maintaining records, and forging new collaborative relationships to leverage financial support. Responses suggest that the program improved levels of enrollment, appointment-setting and referrals for social and other services. Common facilitators and barriers to success and ways to address them were also identified.

Conclusion: Elaboration on each of the facilitators of success led to the development of several recommendations as guidance for future outreach funding programs such as: staffing, data systems, collaboration and how to address incentives and barriers.

Study Design: Participatory approach

Setting: Community (Community-based organizations)

Population of Focus: Children enrolled in Medicaid and PeachCare

Data Source: Questionnaires, telephone interviews, one-on-one counseling, application assistance, home visits

Sample Size: 6 organizations

Age Range: Children; specific ages not stated

Access Abstract

Rand CM, Goldstein NPN. Patterns of primary care physician visits for US adolescents in 2014: implications for vaccination. Acad Pediatr. 2018;18(2s):S72-s78.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Health Insurance Coverage

Intervention Description: We performed a secondary data set analysis of the 2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Data are collected through interviews of caregivers of a nationally representative sample of the noninstitutionalized US population. We used descriptive analyses to examine use of health care according to age and gender, and visit types at which vaccines were given according to age.

Intervention Results: During a 12-month period, almost half of participants had no primary care physician (PCP) visits, and one-third had a preventive visit to a PCP. An additional 19% had only nonpreventive care visits to a PCP. Uninsured participants had the highest rate of no care, and the lowest rate of preventive care. Most preventive care visits by adolescents 11 to 17 years of age were to pediatricians, and most visits among those 18 to 21 years of age were to family/general practitioners. Overall, 67% of non-check-up PCP visits were for acute care, 10% were for follow-up, and 7% for immunization only. Nationally, 61%, 26%, and 12% of vaccines were given at preventive, immunization-only, and acute/follow-up visits, respectively.

Conclusion: Fewer than half of adolescents receive preventive care, and many have no PCP visits. This reinforces the need to offer outreach to adolescents to improve rates of preventive visits, and to take advantage of all primary care visits for vaccinations. Because pediatricians and family practice/general practice physicians vaccinate most adolescents, these providers should remain the target audience for vaccine education and quality improvement activities.

Study Design: secondary data set analysis

Setting: N/A

Data Source: 2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

Sample Size: N/A

Age Range: Adolescents

Access Abstract

Ray JA, Detman LA, Chavez M, Gilbertson M, Berumen J. Improving Data, Enhancing Enrollment: Florida Covering Kids & Families CHIPRA Data System. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2016 Apr;20(4):749-53.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Collaboration with Local Agencies (State), Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), PROFESSIONAL_CAREGIVER, Outreach (caregiver), STATE, Data Collection System

Intervention Description: Florida Covering Kids & Families (FL-CKF) is dedicated to developing outreach methods for enrolling and retaining eligible children in the state’s CHIP. FL-CKP developed a strong data system that allows it to evaluate the effectiveness and success of statewide enrollment and retention efforts. Community and school outreach partners enter data each month on all completed CHIP applications via a secure interface, and data are then transmitted to the state. The data system is an outreach method for enrolling and retaining coverage; it can also monitor outcomes and provide feedback to community outreach partners. Organizations helping uninsured children apply for health insurance may benefit from creating data collection systems to monitor project efficacy and modify outreach and enrollment strategies for greater effectiveness.

Intervention Results: The highest number of application submissions were through outreach at a child’s school or childcare facility, through a community-based organization, or through targeted outreach events. However, even though those strategies resulted in the largest number of application, approval and denial rates show which of these strategies (through a CHIPRA grant partner site or government agency) yielded the highest enrollments. This information can be further stratified by individual project partner to show which strategies are working best in that region. The improved data collection system of Cycle II enables FL-CKF to better monitor the efforts of project partners by tracking monthly progress toward grant deliverable goals.

Conclusion: Organizations helping uninsured children apply for health insurance may benefit from creating data collection systems to monitor project efficacy and modify outreach and enrollment strategies for greater effectiveness.

Study Design: Evaluation assessment

Setting: Community (Community-based organizations and schools in Florida)

Population of Focus: Eligible children in Florida's CHIP

Data Source: Checkbox Survey Solutions data system

Sample Size: 502,866 children in Florida who are uninsured

Age Range: 0-17 years

Access Abstract

Smith AJ, Chien AT. Adult-oriented health reform and children’s insurance and access to care: evidence from Massachusetts health reform. Maternal and child health journal. 2019 Aug;23(8):1008-24.

Evidence Rating: Emerging Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), NATIONAL, Policy/Guideline (National)

Intervention Description: In 2006, Massachusetts passed major health reform legislation, including an individual mandate for adults (who were required to purchase insurance or face a penalty); Medicaid expansion (i.e., children’s eligibility for the state’s Medicaid-CHIP increased from 200 to 300% of the FPL and adult eligibility for Medicaid increased to 100% FPL), and minimum essential benefits for private insurance (e.g., coverage of basic specialty services, no co-pay or deductible for preventive care visits).

Intervention Results: Massachusetts health reform, the model for the ACA, reduced uninsurance and improved access to some types of care for children in the state. Expanding adult-oriented health access policies in MA was associated with a trend toward reduced uninsurance and improved access to specialty care for children overall at 5 years post-reform. For low-income children, health reform was associated with increased access to a personal doctor for children previously Medicaid-eligible and increased access to specialty care for children newly Medicaid-eligible.

Conclusion: Adult-oriented health reforms may have reduced uninsurance and improved access to some types of care for children in Massachusetts. Repealing the ACA may produce modest detriments for children.

Study Design: Quasi-experimental difference-in-difference

Setting: Policy (Data from 2003, 2007, and 2011-2012 waves of the National Survey of Children's Health)

Population of Focus: Families with children in Massachusetts

Data Source: National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH

Sample Size: 5,760 children in the intervention group (MA), 28,183 children in the comparison group (other New England states)

Age Range: 0-17 years

Access Abstract

Swartz JJ, Hainmueller J, Lawrence D, Rodriguez MI. Expanding prenatal care to unauthorized immigrant women and the effects on infant health. Obstetrics and gynecology. 2017 Nov;130(5):938.

Evidence Rating: Scientifically Rigorous Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), NATIONAL, Policy/Guideline (National), STATE, Prenatal Care Access

Intervention Description: Prenatal care is an important component of preventive health care with multigenerational consequences for women and their families. For low-income immigrant women, Emergency Medicaid, a federal safety net program for those poor enough to qualify for Medicaid but who cannot meet the citizenship requirements, covers the cost of a birth but not prenatal care or postpartum contraception. An “unborn child” option enacted in CHIP and CHIPRA gave states new options to provide prenatal care coverage with federal matching funds for extending coverage to immigrant children and pregnant women, regardless of their legal status or date of entry to the U.S. The study leveraged a natural experiment where unauthorized immigrant women eligible for Emergency Medicaid gained access to prenatal care coverage by the expansion of the Emergency Medicaid Plus program in Oregon.

Intervention Results: Expanding access to prenatal care coverage increased both utilization and quality of prenatal care, and women were more likely to receive adequate care and recommended preventive health services. After expansion of access to prenatal care, there was an increase in prenatal visits (7.2 more visits, 95% CI 6.46 to 7.98), receipt of adequate prenatal care (28% increased rate, CI 26 to 31), rates of diabetes screening (61% increased rate, CI 56 to 65) and fetal ultrasounds (74% increased rate, CI 72 to 77). Maternal access to prenatal care was also associated with an increased number of well-child visits (0.24 more visits, CI 0.07 to 0.41), increased rates of recommended screenings and vaccines, and reduced infant mortality (-1.04 per 1000, CI -1.45 to -0.62) and rates of extremely low birth weight (<1000g) (-1.5 per 1000, CI -2.58 to -0.53).

Conclusion: Our results provide evidence of increased utilization and improved health outcomes for unauthorized immigrants and their children who are United States citizens after introduction of prenatal care expansion in Oregon. This study contributes to the debate around reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program in 2017.

Study Design: Quasi-experimental difference-in-difference

Setting: Policy (Oregon Health Authority)

Population of Focus: Pregnant low-income immigrant women and their infants

Data Source: Medical claims data from January 1, 2003 through October 1, 2015

Sample Size: 210,200 mothers and infants

Age Range: Pregnant women: 12-51 years; Infants: 0-1 years

Access Abstract

Wisk LE, Finkelstein JA, Toomey SL, Sawicki GS, Schuster MA, Galbraith AA. Impact of an individual mandate and other health reforms on dependent coverage for adolescents and young adults. Health services research. 2018 Jun;53(3):1581-99.

Evidence Rating: Moderate Evidence

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PAYER, Expanded Insurance Coverage, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Public Insurance (Health Care Provider/Practice), NATIONAL, Policy/Guideline (National)

Intervention Description: Dependent coverage expansion (DCE) policies on the state and federal level have been enacted to target the high rates of uninsurance and unique barriers to obtain coverage among adolescents and young adults (AYA). DCE, a component of the ACA, requires private insurance policies that cover dependents to offer coverage for policyholders’ children through age 26. Several states, including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, adopted state DCE policies that extended dependent coverage, with the Massachusetts policy accompanied by other health reforms later incorporated into the ACA, including an individual mandate, a Medicaid expansion, creation of a health insurance exchange with subsidies, and prohibition of pre-existing condition exclusions. State and federal health reforms may modify the effects of a DCE by altering the coverage options and incentives for AYA.

Intervention Results: Findings suggest that an individual mandate and other reforms may enhance the effect of DCE in preventing loss of coverage among AYA. Implementation of DCE with other reforms was significantly associated with a 23% reduction in exit from dependent coverage among AYA compared to the reduction observed for DCE alone. Additionally, comprehensive reforms were associated with over two additional years of dependent coverage for the average AYA and a 33% increase in the odds of regaining dependent coverage after a prior loss. Findings suggest that an individual mandate and other reforms may enhance the effect of DCE in preventing loss of coverage among AYA. The joint effect of these policy levers is also associated with maintenance of dependent coverage until an older age and increased likelihood of regaining dependent coverage after an initial disenrollment. In addition to reductions in the odds of and time to dependent coverage exit, DCE was associated with further coverage gains for AYA in the form of regained dependent coverage.

Conclusion: Findings suggest that an individual mandate and other reforms may enhance the effect of DCE in preventing loss of coverage among AYA.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort with a pre- to post-comparison

Setting: Policy (Insurance consortium in 3 states: Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire)

Population of Focus: Harvard Pilgrim Health Care members who were enrolled continuously as a dependent for at least 1 year between the ages of 16 and 18, from January 2000 to December 2012

Data Source: Enrollment and claims data from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC), a large not-for-profit health plan with over 1 million members in commercial plans concentrated in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine

Sample Size: 131,542 individuals

Age Range: 16-18 years

Access Abstract

Yonek JC, Jordan N, Dunlop D, Ballard R, Holl J. Patient-Centered Medical Home Care for Adolescents in Need of Mental Health Treatment. J Adolesc Health. 2018 Aug;63(2):172-180. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.02.006. Epub 2018 Jun 7. PMID: 29887487; PMCID: PMC6113081.

Evidence Rating: Moderate

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Family-Based Interventions, Provider Training/Education, Health Insurance Coverage, Targeting Interventions to Focused Groups

Intervention Description: N/A

Intervention Results: Fifty percent of adolescents experienced PCMH care, with little change between 2004 and 2013. Adolescents with MH need (N = 3,794) had significantly lower odds of experiencing PCMH care compared with those without MH need (odds ratio, .78; 95% confidence interval, .69-.87). Among adolescents with MH needs, being uninsured and living with a parent who did not graduate high school were negatively associated with PCMH care, whereas parental usual source of care was positively associated (odds ratio, 1.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.28-2.22).

Conclusion: Increasing care accessibility, integrating MH services into primary care settings, and targeting socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroups could improve rates of PCMH care among adolescents with MH needs.

Study Design: This was a secondary analysis of Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data (2004-2013). The sample included adolescents aged 12-17 years with ≥1 office-based visits in the past year (N = 18,717). Questions assessing a usual source of care and care that is accessible, comprehensive, family-centered, and compassionate were used to define PCMH care. For adolescents with MH needs, multivariable logistic regression was used to describe the association between PCMH care and sample characteristics.

Setting: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

Population of Focus: Adolescents

Sample Size: 3794

Age Range: 12/17/2024

Access Abstract

The MCH Digital Library is one of six special collections at Geogetown University, the nation's oldest Jesuit institution of higher education. It is supported in part by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under award number U02MC31613, MCH Advanced Education Policy with an award of $700,000/year. The library is also supported through foundation and univerity funding. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.