More than 1.3 million Back-to-School flyers have been distributed this summer to 1,830 schools across Virginia so that children in public schools will receive a health coverage flyer in their first day of school packet. This is the 18th year that the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) has collaborated with the Virginia Department of Education on the FAMIS Back-to-School campaign.
Information about FAMIS will also be included in nutrition letters sent to parents whose children participate in the School Lunch Program.
Visit the Back-to-School page on the Cover Virginia website. It includes useful tips and ideas for advocates, school personnel, and consumers on how they can help spread the word about FAMIS. The page also features a list of Back-to-School events in localities throughout the state.
During September and October, the Cover Virginia Call Center experiences an increase in applications received due to the success of the Back-to-School campaign. During the school year, anyone interested in signing up for regular updates about FAMIS and children’s Medicaid can text the word “SCHOOL” to 268782.
You can easily download the FAMIS Back-to-School flyer in English and Spanish here. Help us spread the word about this campaign.
For more information about FAMIS, like @FAMISprograms on Facebook, or like @coverva for more information about adult health care coverage.
In case you missed it, the Cover Virginia website has an interactive map to help you find FAMIS and Medicaid application assistance in your area. Check it out here.
Things to Know
Introducing Spanish Language Messaging
Virginians can now receive updates about health coverage from DMAS in Spanish. Recently, DMAS launched our first digital outreach communications campaign completely in Spanish. Since the passage of Medicaid expansion last year, DMAS has regularly communicated with Virginians who signed up to receive information about Medicaid. We know many Spanish-speakers are newly eligible under expansion, and they will now receive the messages in Spanish. This is a huge step for our agency as we continue to implement member-focused innovations. Individuals can sign up for Spanish communications using the overlay on the Cover Virginia website and selecting Spanish as their preferred language .
Medicaid Birthday Blast
Virginia’s Medicaid program turned 50 on July 1, and the agency celebrated with birthday cake, a visit from Governor Ralph Northam and an announcement of plans to tackle maternal and infant health outcomes.
Dr. Jennifer S. Lee, DMAS Director, announced the agency’s goal to end maternal and infant mortality among our members by 2025. Strategies supporting this goal include streamlined enrollment of pregnant women, increased access to treatment for expecting mothers with substance use disorder and strengthened accountability for prenatal and postpartum managed care services.
“We celebrate this milestone by committing ourselves to furthering health equity in our Commonwealth,” said Dr. Lee. “There can be no greater goal than making sure our mothers and their infants are able to celebrate the child’s first birthday together. Healthy Birthday Virginia will lay the foundation for a healthy future for our families and the next generation of Virginians.”
You can read more about the Healthy Birthday Virginia initiative in the agency press release.
Free Clinics Get Flexible
Medicaid expansion has been a game-changer for the Commonwealth’s health care providers, and that includes Virginia’s Free and Charitable Health Clinics. Some of Virginia’s free clinics now accept patients with Medicaid coverage, while others have broadened their income eligibility rules to accept more individuals who do not qualify for full Medicaid benefits or cannot afford a Marketplace health plan.
The following free clinics in Virginia now see individuals with Medicaid coverage:
Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic (Fredericksburg)
Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic (Gloucester)
Northern Neck-Middlesex Free Health Clinic (Kilmarnock)
