Using Data

States report they need better data in order to understand the populations they are targeting, the impact of changes they make, and to compare themselves with other states. Research literature also supports the need for developing data systems and methodologies to help states measure enrollment and renewal rates and trends over time, and to provide better data for researchers and policymakers at the state and federal level. Furthermore, sharing data across state programs has been shown to have a positive impact on enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP; the ability of state systems to share information across programs quickly and accurately is vital to their effectiveness.  

Maximizing Enrollment provided funding and technical assistance to help states address their own data collection, analysis and use challenges. The Maximizing Enrollment states received periodic enrollment and renewal trend data based on measures developed by Mathematica to help the states understand how policy and system changes were affecting enrollment.  Several of the participating states incorporated these measures into their own eligibility and data warehouses to continue to track enrollment trends over time.  Lessons from the participating states’ engagement with Mathematica to track enrollment and renewal trends have been shared through webinars and documented in reports to benefit all states.