DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop S2-26-12 
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 
 
Center for Medicaid, CHIP and Survey & Certification 
 
CMCS Informational Bulletin 
  
 
DATE:  February 3, 2011 
 
FROM:  Cindy Mann, Director 
  Center for Medicaid, CHIP and Survey & Certification (CMCS) 
 
SUBJECT:  CHIPRA Anniversary and Guidance on the Core Set of Child Health Quality 
Measures  
 
We are pleased to acknowledge the great progress States and communities have made over the 
past two years since the passage of the Childrens Health Insurance Program Reauthorization 
Act (CHIPRA) in advancing childrens coverage and elevating the conversation about 
improving the quality of the care they receive. 
 
In addition to several announcements related to the 2nd anniversary of CHIPRA, this 
Informational Bulletin provides additional guidance for States choosing to voluntarily report the 
initial core set of quality measures for children enrolled in Medicaid and the Childrens Health 
Insurance Program (CHIP).   
 
  CHIPRA Anniversary Report.  To mark the second anniversary of CHIPRA, today we 
are releasing the 2010 CHIPRA anniversary report, Connecting Kids to Coverage:  
Continuing the Progress that highlights state, federal and community efforts to enroll all 
eligible children in Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program.  The report 
is available at http://insurekidsnow.gov/professionals/reports/chipra/2010_annual.pdf 
 
  $40 million in Outreach and Enrollment Grant Funds Available.  CMS is releasing a 
funding opportunity announcement for a second round of $40 million in CHIPRA 
outreach and enrollment grants to States, local governments, community-based and 
nonprofit organizations, tribes and others to support outreach activities and enrollment of 
children who are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.  This Cycle II grant solicitation 
encourages prospective grantees to focus their efforts in one of the following Focus 
Areas:  
  Using Technology to Facilitate Enrollment and Renewal 
o
  Focusing on Retention: Keeping Eligible Children Covered for as Long as They 
o
Qualify 
  Engaging Schools in Outreach, Enrollment and Renewal Activities 
o
  Reaching Out to Groups of Children that are More Likely to Experiences Gaps in 
o
Coverage 
  Ensuring Eligible Teens Are Enrolled and Stay Covered 
o
 
   
  Page 2  CMCS Informational Bulletin 
 
 
Applications are due on April 18, 2011 and awards will be announced in July 2011. CMS 
will be holding its first applicant teleconference on February 15, 2011 from 2:00-4:00 
p.m. EST.  The solicitation can be found on www.grants.gov under CFDA 93.767. 
 
  FY 2010 Childrens Enrollment Data.  The third announcement for today is the release 
of the State-by-State FY 2010 Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment data as reported to CMS 
through the Statistical Enrollment Data System (SEDS).  We are pleased to report that 
over the past year, Childrens Medicaid and CHIP enrollment increased by over 2 
million children (October 1, 2009  - September 30, 2010).  Together, the Medicaid and 
CHIP programs have served more than 42 million children over the course of the year. 
 
To make the promise of coverage a reality for uninsured children, a year ago, Secretary 
Sebelius announced Connecting Kids to Coverage Challenge, designed to engage 
government and all organizations with a stake in advancing childrens coverage to take 
affirmative steps toward enrolling all eligible uninsured children in Medicaid and CHIP.  
With support from CHIPRA, States and a wide range of stakeholders, including 
community organizations, health care providers, schools and others, are stepping up to 
the Challenge.  The results of their efforts are evident in the increased FY 2010 Medicaid 
and CHIP enrollment numbers we are releasing today.  See 
http://insurekidsnow.gov/professionals/reports/chipra/2010_enrollment_data.pdf 
 
 
  Child Health Quality Measures Manual.  As you know, CHIPRA includes a broad 
range of provisions designed to improve the quality of health care provided to children 
enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.  Among many other things, Section 401 of CHIPRA 
called for the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to identify an 
initial core set of recommended child health care quality measures for voluntary use by 
State Medicaid and CHIP programs. The initial core set of quality measures will be 
officially released in a letter to State Health Officials that will be issued later this month.  
 
CMS is pleased to release today the CHIPRA Initial Core Measures Technical 
Specifications Manual for 2011.  Within this manual, States will find information on how 
to collect data for the core measures and the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare 
Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey.  By adhering to the standardized methodologies 
outlined in the specifications manual, CMS and States will have available, for the first 
time, information that can be used for State and national comparisons.  In addition, CMS 
will be providing technical assistance and analytic support to increase the number of 
States consistently collecting and uniformly reporting on the core measures, and to help 
States understand how to use these data to improve the quality of care for children.  
 
   
   
 
Page 3  CMCS Informational Bulletin 
 
As always, we remain committed to working with States to augment their understanding 
of the CHIPRA initial core measures and to assist you in your efforts to begin collecting, 
reporting, and using these measures to drive quality improvement.  We hope you will find 
the technical specifications helpful as you consider voluntarily reporting these child 
health quality measures to CMS.  Comments and questions regarding the technical 
specifications may be directed to:  CHIPRAQualityTA@cms.hhs.gov.   Thank you for 
your ongoing commitment to measure, monitor, and improve the quality of health care 
for children in Medicaid and CHIP.  The CHIPRA Initial Core Measures Technical 
Specifications Manual for 2011 can be accessed at: 
http://www.cms.gov/MedicaidCHIPQualPrac/Downloads/CHIPRACoreSetTechManual.
pdf 
 
We hope you will find this information helpful.  Thank you for your commitment to these 
critical childrens coverage programs.