State and national experts see simplifying the renewal process as being critical to maximizing enrollment of eligible people in public programs. High retention rates also reduce state agencies’ administrative burden caused by churn, the extent to which individuals lose and quickly re-enroll in coverage. While states had employed a number of retention strategies prior to participating in Maximizing Enrollment, streamlining renewals was a substantial focus for states throughout the program. Some of the strategies the Maximizing Enrollment states sought to implement included:
- Improving coordination between Medicaid and CHIP coverage policies, procedures and systems to minimize children losing coverage if they transitioned between programs;
- Administrative renewals that reduce paperwork for families and program staff; and
- Use of technology to create new pathways for families to use to renew coverage – like renewing over the telephone or online.
This website includes many resources including recorded webinars and national briefings, as well as reports and meeting presentations that share details on the Maximizing Enrollment states retention efforts and lessons they learned in implementing them.
