By Beth Morrow, The Children's Partnership
Despite the push in recent years to enroll and retain children in health insurance, three out of four uninsured children are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP but not enrolled. How can we change that persistent dynamic as we head toward the enrollment challenge of 2014? One answer outlined in our new issue brief : Cell phone technology.
Why cell phones?
Regular cell phone functions improve every day and could be further developed to interface with the simpler, online enrollment process that is being developed under ACA. Tasks that can easily be performed on cell phones, at convenient times and locations, are more likely to happen. This is true of calling mom or making a donation, and should be true of filling out an application for health coverage.
Cell phones and related mobile tools are everywhere. Cell phone ownership exceeds 75% even among lower-income Black and Hispanic adults, populations with high rates of uninsurance. Cell phones are widely used to access the Internet. And, wireless-only households are increasingly common at all income levels.
How could a cell phone help families access health coverage?
Already, families can complete a "phone-in" application or renewal and such procedures are improving over time. Cell phones also have texting capabilities that could be used to provide text reminders to enrollees (about renewal and payments) and could even allow a family to pay insurance premiums (just like they can pay a utility bill today). In the future, text messages could potentially be used to submit application or renewal information.
Smartphones, which go a step further and provide Internet access and run software "apps," are expected to dominate the cell phone market within the next year. With proper incentives and guidance, apps could be developed that enable application, renewal, payment, and communication with Medicaid, CHIP, and the Exchange.
What's needed to make this happen?
Public agencies already provide important health information by text (you may be familiar with text4baby) as well as case status updates (through the Department of Homeland Security e-notification service). The response to these efforts has been momentous - with millions of users and messages involved.
To make the most of this opportunity for filing applications and managing health coverage, policymakers need to get involved right away. Through a combination of demonstration funds, incentives, standards, and privacy rules, policymakers can stimulate the development of usable, secure tools that are up to this task, despite the small screen and text limits. Right off the bat, we'd like to see HHS create a mobile version of the www.healthcare.gov site, which is currently not optimized for cell phone viewing.
However, policymakers must work in collaboration with stakeholders and technology developers to ensure an end result that works across platforms and future mobile devices, with adequate security regardless of cell phone provider, and that does not impose financial burdens on families. Early input from parents and other consumers in underserved populations, as well as usability testing, must guide the process to make sure it works for families.
Now is our opportunity to make sure families can use cell phones and smart phones - not just to buy movie tickets or check Facebook - but also to get vital health care. For more information, see Mobile Technology: Smart Tools to Increase Participation in Health Coverage.
Brilliant!!!