Covering Kids & Families

The large and increasing number of children and adults without health insurance is a source of national concern. A majority of the more than eight million uninsured children in the U.S. are eligible for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) but are not enrolled. Most come from homes where at least one parent works full-time. Many Americans are not aware of the health coverage programs available for children in working families. The same holds true for adults who may qualify for health care under these federal programs.

Mathematica and its partners, Health Management Associates and the Urban Institute, are conducting a large-scale evaluation for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation of its Covering Kids & Families (CKF) initiative. CKF supports state and local coalitions from both the public and private sectors in expanding Medicaid and SCHIP programs to all eligible children and adults. 

The five-year evaluation focuses on:

• Documenting and assessing the strategies and actions of CKF coalitions
• Assessing the effectiveness of coalitions in conducting outreach; simplifying the application process; and coordinating efforts by state, federal, and private insurers to expand coverage
• Measuring progress on CKF's central goal—expanding enrollment and retention of all eligible individuals into Medicaid and SCHIP 
• Assessing whether CKF strategies are sustained after Foundation funding ends

The evaluation is providing extensive information about how the grantees function, drawing on site visits, focus groups, telephone interviews, and a survey of selected coalitions. It is also describing enrollment trends and assessing the impact of the grant program on enrollment, drawing on state enrollment data.

Full list of publications from the study

Back to Top