New Jersey FamilyCare Succeeds in Enrolling Parents, Not Children
Since its inception in October, New Jersey's FamilyCare program has enrolled 121,000 adults -- "outpacing" its goal of 125,000 adult enrollees by 2003, but only attracted 5,000 new children, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. The program, a CHIP expansion program that covers children from low-income families, their parents and childless adults in October with the goal of enrolling more children by offering coverage to families. To qualify for coverage, children from families earning up 350% FPL, or $61,775 for a family of four, may enroll, while parents's eligibility is limited to up to 200% FPL, or $35,300 annually for a family of four. Childless couples and single adults earning up to 100% FPL, or $11,610 and $8,590 per year, respectively, are also eligible for coverage. Officials believed that by "casting a wider net," they could attract more low-income parents to "a viable health insurance options for their children." However, since the expansion, FamilyCare has enrolled about 97% of the eligible adults and "only" 48% of the estimated 161,800 eligible children. According to FamilyCare Executive Director Heidi Smith, "Everyone believes that if you offer the insurance to the adults, you are going to get insurance for the children." She added there were "no guarantees" that child enrollments would increase with the program and that the state was "learning." For example, FamilyCare administrators found that covering childless adults cost more than expected, which could lead to changes in eligibility requirements. However, Lisa Dubay, with the Urban Institute, said that while the long term "effectiveness" of the expansion strategy is unknown, the "growing consensus" is that such programs will enroll more children.
New Efforts, Old Obstacles
When the program expanded, the state attempted to market the program towards children already using government services, the Star-Telegram reports. Now, the plan's administrators are attempting to reach a different demographic -- children of parents with higher incomes who do not think their children qualify. Besides lack of knowledge, Dubay said that other obstacles, such as stigma surrounding subsidized insurance and the "war[iness] of dealing with a state bureaucracy," will make attracting this population difficult. To better publicize the program to higher income families, the Star-Telegram reports that the state will "forgo" broadcast advertising in favor of working with schools to provide parents with materials about FamilyCare, and will hold events at malls and health centers across the state. Smith added, "If we don't find them after this kind of concerted effort, we are going to have to rethink our strategy" (Star-Telegram, 8/9). For further information on state health policy in New Jersey, visit State Health Facts Online.
