Improving Performance Measurement in the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

As part of the ongoing effort to assess progress, attention has been focused on improving state reporting of program performance measures. This report presents an analysis of four child health measures reported by state SCHIP programs to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in compliance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)—well-child visits in the first 15 months of life; well-child visits in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth years of life; use of appropriate medications for children with asthma; and objectives related to the use of preventive care. The analysis uses data from fiscal year 2003 SCHIP annual reports to assess how states reported on these measures. Researchers found that most states reported at least one child health performance measure. They also found that states are making an effort to improve the completeness and quality of their reporting of child health measures and are looking for guidance on how to do so.