By Suzanne Wikle, Kansas Action for Children
Lately it seems hard to find good news about Medicaid, but here in the heartland we have some truly wonderful news about our Medicaid and CHIP program, collectively known as HealthWave. As of late March, an enrollment backlog that topped 30,000 applications at one time, has been eliminated and families are no longer waiting months on end to have their children’s health insurance applications approved!
When the economy tumbled in Kansas we saw, just as other states did, an uptick in the number of applications being submitted for HealthWave. Coupled with cuts to the state agency that receives and processes the applications, the demand was too great for the available resources and applications began piling up at the clearinghouse. Over the months of the backlog, we began hearing stories of children waiting upwards of four to six months to have their applications approved or renewed.
How, exactly, did Kansas eliminate such a large backlog? (Hint: we didn’t increase state resources) It was through a combination of increased administrative efficiencies and a state CHIPRA bonus payment! After the onset of the backlog, Kansas borrowed administrative best practices from other states, like Louisiana. Kansas implemented an expedited renewal process though passive renewals for children, created a new pre-populated renewal form for adults, and simplified the internal process for first-time applications. Additionally, with the great news of a CHIPRA bonus payment, officials were able to use those unexpected resources to hire temporary workers to increase the capacity of the clearinghouse.
At a time when state agencies are stretched as thin as ever and the state’s rate of uninsured children is at a decade high rate, the combination of streamlining administrative processes with unexpected federal bonus is a win win situation for everyone. More kids are getting care while the state government is running in a more efficient manner. Really, it’s the best of both worlds.
