Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there will be a new continuum of coverage options available beginning in 2014. While there currently is significant focus on enrolling eligible people into these new coverage options, it also is important to plan for how to keep eligible people enrolled in coverage over time through successful renewals of coverage. Retention is important for supporting individuals’ access to and continuity of care and minimizing unnecessary administrative costs associated with eligible people churning onto and off of coverage. The ACA includes new streamlined renewal processes to promote retention, but even with streamlined processes, it will be important to educate individuals about the need to renew coverage and to provide individuals renewal reminders and direct renewal assistance.

On May 14, 2013, the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU) hosted a webinar to examine the importance of retention and highlight several successful retention initiatives in Medicaid and CHIP and their lessons learned for coverage in 2014 and beyond. The Commission also released a new report that profiles a retention initiative undertaken by the Michigan Primary Care Association to facilitate renewals through a systematic, technology-based reminder system coupled with the availability of one-on-one assistance. The webinar is part of the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured Getting into Gear for 2014 series examining key implementation issues as states prepare for the ACA coverage expansions.

Moderator:

• Samantha Artiga, Associate Director, KCMU

Panelists:

• Jessica Stephens, Policy Analyst, KCMU, provided an overview of the importance of retention, research findings on successful retention strategies, and the new Medicaid and CHIP renewal processes that will go into place in 2014.

• Diane Batts, Medicaid Deputy Director, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, highlighted the state’s experiences and successes in streamlining and simplifying its renewal policies and processes over time for both families and enrollment workers.

• Philip Bergquist, Manager of Health Center Operations and CHIPRA Project Director, Michigan Primary Care Association, described their new renewal initiative that provides automated, technology-based renewal reminders and direct renewal assistance to families.

• Njeri McGee-Tyner, Eligibility and Enrollment Director, Alameda Health Consortium in California, highlighted efforts to provide language accessible and culturally competent renewal education, outreach, and assistance to families served by its clinics.

Podcast (mp3)