Can Private Companies Contribute to Public Outreach Efforts? Evidence from California

Thomas C. Buchmueller, University of Michigan

Abstract

We studied an innovative outreach effort in California, which trains and certifies community organizations to help complete Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) applications. In this paper we provide a detailed description of participating organizations, the populations they serve, and their success at turning submitted applications into enrollments. We found that insurance brokers and income tax preparers—for-profit groups that are not typically associated with outreach—make important contributions to Medicaid and SCHIP in California. Brokers, in particular, help serve a hard-to-reach population: those on the higher end of the income eligibility thresholds.