title: Wisconsin's BadgerCare Plus reform: impact on low-income families' enrollment and retention in public coverage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the impact of a Wisconsin health care reform enacted in early 2008 on public insurance enrollment and retention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Administrative data covering the period January 2007 to November 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  We calculate unadjusted enrollment trends and exit rates stratified by age, income group, and enrollment mode. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models are estimated to assess the impact of the reform on program exits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall enrollment increased by approximately one-third and exit rates decreased by approximately one-fifth. The majority of new enrollment came from the previously income eligible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wisconsin's enactment of eligibility expansions coupled with administrative simplification and targeted marketing and outreach efforts were successful in enrolling and retaining low-income children and families in public coverage.
authors.affiliation: Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. lleininger@chapinhall.org
authors.forename: Lindsey Jeanne
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Leininger
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Friedsam
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dague
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hynes
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergum
authors.forename: Milda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aksamitauskas
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: DeLeire
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005190:Family; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013221:State Health Plans / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014922:Wisconsin