Study Findings from Department of Medicine Provide New Insights into Medicare and Medicaid (Effect of Outreach Messages on Medicaid Enrollment)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Investigators publish new report on Medicare and Medicaid. According to news reporting originating in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by VerticalNews journalists, research stated, "To measure the impact of different outreach messages on health insurance enrollment among Medicaid-eligible adults. Between March 2015 and April 2016, we conducted a series of experiments using mail-based outreach that encouraged individuals to enroll in Pennsylvania's expanded Medicaid program."

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the Department of Medicine, "Recipients were randomized to receive 1 of 4 different messages describing the benefits of health insurance. The primary outcome was the response rate to each letter. We mailed outreach letters to 32 993 adults in Philadelphia. Messages that emphasized the dental benefits of insurance were significantly more likely to result in a response than messages emphasizing the health benefits (odds ratio = 1.33; 95% confidence interval = 1.10, 1.61). Medicaid enrollment outreach messages that emphasized the dental benefits of insurance were more effective than those that emphasized the healthrelated benefits. Public Health Implications. Although the structure and eligibility of the Medicaid program are likely to change, testing and identifying successful outreach and enrollment strategies remains important."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "Outreach messages that emphasize dental benefits may be more effective at motivating enrollment among individuals of low socioeconomic status."

For more information on this research see: Effect of Outreach Messages on Medicaid Enrollment. American Journal of Public Health, 2017;107():S71-S73. American Journal of Public Health can be contacted at: Amer Public Health Assoc Inc, 800 I Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001-3710, USA.

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting J.K. Hom, Crescenz VA Med Center, Dept. of Med, Philadelphia, PA, United States. Additional authors for this research include C. Stillson, R. Rosin, R. Cahill, E. Kruger and D. Grande.

Keywords for this news article include: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America, Medicare and Medicaid, Health Insurance, Health Policy, Medicaid, Dentistry, Department of Medicine.

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