title: How Well Is CHIP Addressing Primary and Preventive Care Needs and Access for Children?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine differences in primary care outcomes under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) compared to private coverage and being uninsured in 10 states.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from a survey of parents of recent and established CHIP enrollees conducted from January 2012 through March 2013. We compared the primary care experiences of established CHIP enrollees to the preenrollment experiences of previously uninsured and privately insured recent CHIP enrollees to estimate differences in care outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parents of 4142 recent enrollees and 5518 established enrollees responded to the survey (response rates were 46% for recent enrollees and 51% for established enrollees). Compared to being uninsured, CHIP enrollees were more likely to have a well-child visit, receive a range of preventive care services, and have patient-centered care experiences. They were also more likely than uninsured children to have a regular source of care or provider, an easy time making appointments, and shorter wait times for those appointments. Relative to privately insured children, CHIP enrollees received preventive care services at similar rates and to be more likely to receive effective care coordination services. However, CHIP enrollees were less likely than privately insured children to have a regular source of care or provider and nighttime and weekend access to a usual source of care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CHIP continues to provide high levels of access to primary care, especially compared to uninsured children, and to provide benefits comparable to private insurance.
authors.affiliation: Mathematica Policy Research, Princeton, NJ. Electronic address: ksmith@mathematica-mpr.com.
authors.forename: Kimberly V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Mathematica Policy Research, Princeton, NJ.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dye
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D002675:Child, Preschool; D065326:Children's Health Insurance Program; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D008297:Male; D017057:Medically Uninsured; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
keywords: CHIP; health care access; health care utilization; primary care; public health insurance