Opportunities for outreach: Medicaid participation among children in Ohio

This research seeks to determine individual and household differences between children who enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and children who did not. In addition, the study investigates the specific reasons that families provided for not enrolling their children in Medicaid/CHIP. Data from the 1998 Ohio Family Health Survey were used to determine individual and household differences between children who were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP and children who were not. Findings show that lower household income, parental unemployment, parental health insurance, and younger (child) age, were associated with greater participation in Medicaid/CHIP among eligible children in Ohio. Children in poorer health and those who resided in counties with higher levels of expenditures on outreach were also more likely to be enrolled. Findings from this study suggest a substantial need to increase awareness about program eligibility and to develop creative outreach strategies aimed at reaching nontraditional Medicaid families.