Prizes

Monthly Recognition

Each month the most innovative and effective entry or entries will be highlighted on the blog.

About the Challenge

Over 2 years to submit (view all dates)

The purpose of the Connecting Kids to Coverage Challenge is to enlist stakeholders in activities that will help enroll eligible children in Medicaid and CHIP.

A wide range of strategies can be used to advance that goal, and the purpose of this Challenge is to highlight and share especially effective and innovative ideas. Government agencies, nonprofit organizations and community-based institutions such as health care providers, schools and faith-based groups can then learn more about how best to devote resources to enrolling eligible children in health coverage programs.

Successful efforts for the Connecting Kids to Coverage will employ one or more of the following "5 Ways to Step up to the Challenge" of enrolling children:

  1. Cut red tape. Work to simplify enrollment and renewal and reduce paperwork that creates unnecessary barriers to coverage for eligible children. 
  2. Capitalize on technology. Enable families to apply and check their eligibility online. Explore ways to use the telephone, text-messaging and other technology in outreach and enrollment.
  3. Create opportunities to sign up. Reach out and help families enroll their children where they live, learn, play, work, worship, and go for health care or for help with other family needs. Strive to make enrollment assistance an ongoing and routine activity.
  4. Focus on retention. Take steps to help families renew their child’s coverage so that children stay covered for as long as they qualify and have consistent access to health care.
  5. Forge partnerships. Engage public and private partners to magnify enrollment efforts.  


Wait... What is CHIP?  |  What is Medicaid?  |  Visit InsureKidsNow.gov

Judging Criteria

Employs at least 1 of the “5 Ways to Step Up to the Challenge”

Does your effort fall into at at least 1 of the “5 Ways to Step Up to the Challenge”? (Cutting Red Tape, Capitalizing on technology, Creating opportunities to sign up, Focusing on retention, Forging partnerships)

Targets and Reaches Your Audience

Have you defined your target audience and is your activity or approach designed to reach that audience?

Is Creative with respect to Messaging , Strategy or Approach

Is your effort creative or innovative in a way that enhances its effectiveness? In the way it uses resources available in the community? In the way it builds capacity? In the way it integrates with aspects of the day-to-day routines of the community?

Can be transferable and/or replicable in other communities and other settings

How easy is it for others to take your approach and implement it in their community? (Remember that imitation is the finest form of flattery!)

Can Describe Outcomes

How will you track results? And how are you taking these results to improve your process over time?

How to Enter

1. Be passionate about ensuring children get the health care they need and have an understanding about how the children's Medicaid and CHIP enrollment works in your state.

2. Develop a plan for how your organization can help get children enrolled in health coverage.

3. Be sure you have a Challenge.gov Account so that you can add your entry to the Connecting Kids to Coverage Challenge. If you don't have an Account, create one for your organization by clicking "Sign up" in the top right corner.

4. Create a written (e.g. - Word) document that provides both:

  • A brief written overview of your organization or the multiple organizations involved (no more than 500 words)
  • A brief written description of your Connecting Kids to Coverage Activity or Approach to Enrollment (no more than 1000 words). This description explains the activity or approach, who is involved and how the activity helps to enroll eligible children into Medicaid and/or CHIP.

5. Upload this document using the Enter a Submission tab.

6. Indicate which of the "5 Ways to Step up to the Challenge" your activity falls under.

7. Optional: You may submit up to 5 photos to show your activity in action.

8. Tell others about the Connecting Kids to Coverage Challenge!

Enter a submission