Key Lessons from Medicaid and CHIP for Outreach and Enrollment Under the Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will significantly increase coverage options through an expansion of Medicaid and the creation of new health insurance exchange marketplaces. However, effective outreach and enrollment efforts will be key to ensuring that new coverage opportunities translate into increased coverage. Based on a review of existing research, this brief identifies five key lessons learned through previous Medicaid and CHIP experience to help inform outreach and enrollment under the ACA. The brief is part of the “Getting into Gear for 2014” series examining key implementation issues as states prepare for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage expansions.