1. Maryland Program: Growing Results In Children Covered by Health Insurance by Susan Levine, Washington Post Staff Writer This article highlights how approximately 95,000 previously uninsured children in Maryland now have health insurance. "In July, Maryland became one of the few states to enroll families earning three times the federal poverty level. So far that has translated into 787 additional children, a fraction of those suddenly eligible. Despite a huge deficit in the state Medicaid budget and concerns about the recession, officials insist they will not pull back. 'This program makes a tremendous difference in terms of children's lives,' said Deborah I. Chang, the state's deputy secretary for health care financing. 'We're committed to devoting the resources to this population.'" "Maryland also simplified its application process, allowing families to enroll by mail. The application is only four pages and requires little documentation and no interview. Income counts, not assets. 'The state takes on the responsibility' of proving eligibility, notes Jocelyn Guyer, a senior policy analyst with the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. 'They have a very strong program.'" The complete article is available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A32140-2001Dec12?language=printer 2. Hawaii's 9-11 Net Program Med-QUEST began implementing its 9-11 Net program on 4 December 2001. It provides low-cost temporary health insurance for Hawaii residents who lost employer-sponsored health insurance because of reduced work hours or lost jobs on or after 11 September 2001. For details, go to http://starbulletin.com/2001/12/10/news/index.html and click on "9-11 Net program to offer health care" in the left margin. 3. Social Security Administration Partners with Insure Kids Now! The Social Security Administration and Insure Kids Now! are partnering to send out informational announcements about the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Throughout December 2001 and February 2002, 46 million Americans who receive social security checks will also receive a letter informing them that their children or grandchildren may be eligible for health insurance. Information on State CHIP will be on the cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) notices. This is the second year for the partnership. Source: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) 4. Toolkit Issued to Improve Prenatal Care Among Medicaid Members The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) issued a toolkit to improve prenatal care among Medicaid beneficiaries. Released in early November, it is the result of a nearly two year effort by eleven Medicaid health plan medical directors. For this toolkit, go to Toward Improving Birth Outcomes Toolkit. CHCS created a five year initiative, Best Clinical and Administrative Practices, which aims to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of care provided by health plans serving Medicaid and State CHIP enrollees. CHCS hopes that the toolkit helps Medicaid plans identify "at risk" pregnant women earlier. Some of the suggested strategies to improve birth outcomes include: * Offering incentives to members who complete prenatal and postnatal care. * Providing nutritional supplements to teens and underweight women. * Targeting interventions with post partum women to help with family planning and increase intervals between pregnancies. Source: Bureau of National Affairs, December 2001.