Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Initiative: Expanding Access to Medicaid and CHIP for Minnesota's Eligible Children and Families - Project Abstract Name of organization: Portico Healthnet Project goals: 14,000 Children who will apply for health coverage. • 8,000 Children who will be newly enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP. • 6,000 Children whose enrollment in Medicaid or CHIP will be renewed. 3, 000 Parents who will apply for health coverage. • 1,350 Parents who will be newly enrolled in Medicaid. • 1,650 Parents who will renew their enrollment in Medicaid. 1,750 Pregnant women who will apply for health coverage. • 1,500 Pregnant women who will be newly enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP. Total budget amount: The total budget for this project is $1,870,269. A description of how you will use funds. Funding will be used towards outreach and enrollment staff salaries and benefits; local travel for client meetings and travel for a national conference; technology supplies software licenses, and telephone and internet services to support client service; and marketing materials and social media ads to conduct client outreach. All funds will support activities to accomplish project goals. For 30 years, Portico Healthnet has expanded health care coverage access for Minnesotans. Deploying our expert and multilingual team, Portico Healthnet will provide year-round outreach and in-person and virtual enrollment assistance targeting uninsured children, pregnant women, and parents. Portico will expand into rural Minnesota to increase statewide access in partnership with schools, basic needs providers, and clinics to engage, educate, and enroll communities with the greatest gaps in coverage for children and their families. Historical achievement on project enrollment and renewal goals from previous grant. • Children's Enrollment: Portico achieved 94% of the children's new enrollment goal in Year 1, 84% in Year 2, and 100% Year 3. The shortfall in Year 1 and Year 2 was primarily impacted by COVID-19 school closures, disrupting back-to-school season outreach. • Parents’ Enrollment: Portico consistently exceeded the new enrollment goals for parents throughout the three-year contract period. • Renewals: The suspension of Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare renewals due to the COVID-19 peacetime emergency led to no renewal activity for 2.25 of the 3 contract years, resulting in a decrease in renewal submissions during the contract period. Despite these unforeseen challenges, Portico was able to adapt focusing on newly eligible populations, rapidly establishing a successful virtual assistance model, and shifting our efforts to accommodate changes in the healthcare landscape.
