The children's health insurance program: Expanding the framework to evaluate state goals and performance

A comprehensive framework was devised to evaluate the state Children's Heal th Insurance Program (SCHIP) established in 1997. The framework relies on a number of potential measures and data sources for reviewing the program in formation recorded by states in SCHIP applications, particularly their stra tegic objectives and proposed performance measures. The analysis reveals th at the states propose a wide range of objectives and measures and that ther e is considerable variation among the states: Overall, states' SCHIP plans tend to stress program enrollment and access to services but fail to emphas ize the type and quality of services children receive once they are enrolle d in the program. A broader conceptual framework is needed for policy maker s, advocates, and researchers to make a full assessment of state goals and SCHIP performance.