March 10, 2010 was a memorable day for children’s health advocates in Ohio. Ohio became the first state to join HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ quest to enroll all children eligible for Medicaid and CHIP. In accepting the challenge Secretary Sebelius issued to states in November at the National Children’s Health Insurance Summit to enroll all eligible children, Governor Strickland announced that Ohio will take immediate steps to adopt key policies to advance coverage.

In a symbolic gesture, Governor Strickland and our dear friend, Cindy Mann, CMS Deputy Administrator for Medicaid and CHIP, cut a red ribbon signifying the state’s commitment to remove red tape that too often hampers families from accessing public insurance programs.

The Governor revealed that Ohio will implement three specific policies: 12-month continuous eligibility, presumptive eligibility and express lane eligibility.  These policies are among the eight program features that will help states qualify for the

CHIPRA performance bonus. Implementation of these policies will position Ohio to earn a bonus given that the state’s enrollment in Medicaid has increased by 20% over the past three years, which exceeds the target enrollment established in CHIPRA performance bonus provision.

The Governor’s announcement came on the eve of the Ohio Covering Kids and Families (OCKF) Annual Conference during which more than 200 attendees met to learn about best practices for enrolling and retaining all children in Medicaid and CHIP. Voices for Ohio’s Children, which convenes and facilitates the OCKF Coalition, hosted a legislative reception during which Cindy Mann praised Ohio’s commitment to reach all eligible but unenrolled children.

The events in Ohio this week remind us that strong leadership at the state level can make a difference even in challenging economic times. We commend Governor Strickland for accepting the Secretary’s challenge and hope it inspires other Governors to do the same.