SCHIP Enrollment Increases In Florida, Tennessee

State Children's Health Insurance Program

Florida and Tennessee recently reported enrollment increases intheir SCHIP programs. Summaries of news coverage of the developmentsappear below.

• Florida: Enrollment in KidCare,the state's version of SCHIP, has increased by nearly 16,000 children,or by about 1.2%, since the state expanded outreach efforts,streamlined bureaucracy and increased funding for the program in July,the Florida Times-Unionreports. State CFO Alex Sink (D) said, "It's more than we thought, butwe were hopeful," adding, "It shows the demand and need really is outthere. And if we can get the enrollment up closer to the funding limit... it would prove to the Legislature how much demand there is."Legislators allocated funding for 36,000 new KidCare beneficiaries, andmore than 24,000 of those slots remain open. Additional slots couldopen in the future because unfilled slots are rolled over to the nextmonth's allotment. State officials are continuing outreach efforts byencouraging physicians and insurers to provide patients withinformation. KidCare consultant Rose Naff said the state's recentefforts have improved the program and made it more accessible tobeneficiaries and their families. She said, "Families have told us thatthere were so many changes in recent years that some didn't even knowif the program was open or not," adding, "Now there's newer, easierways to get on the rolls. Families are using the services. And they'rehealthier for it" (Rushing, Florida Times-Union, 11/26).

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