An Implementation Analysis of States' Experiences in Transitioning "Stairstep" Children from Separate CHIP to Medicaid

To shed light on the experience of the states that recently transitioned children with income up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) from separate CHIP to Medicaid (called “stairstep†children), the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission engaged Mathematica Policy Research to conduct a study of how several states approached the transition. This report describes strategies for planning and implementing the transition, as well as challenges experienced, in 10 states. The practices identified could inform how any future large-scale transitions of children’s coverage are implemented.