Profiles of Medicaid Outreach and Enrollment Strategies: Using Text Messaging to Reach and Enroll Uninsured Individuals

Effective outreach, enrollment, and retention efforts are essential for ensuring that these new coverage opportunities under the ACA translate into increased coverage. One potential avenue for targeted outreach is through text messaging and other mobile technology, which has become an increasingly common source of communication, particularly among low-income adults targeted by the coverage expansions. To provide greater insight into the potential role of text messaging as an outreach vehicle, this brief focuses on the use of standard cell phones and smartphones for text messages and internet access and illustrates how one text messaging initiative, Text4baby, a free, personalized maternal child health education text messaging service for pregnant women and new mothers, is helping eligible pregnant women and their families connect to health coverage.