OBJECTIVE: To examine compliance of Medicaid-renewal applications to established state guidelines for reading level of Medicaid-related materials. METHODS: We assessed the reading level of the 2008 Medicaid renewal applications by using 3 readability tests: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Index, New Fog Count, and FORCAST. RESULTS: In 2008, 45 states and the District of Columbia had reading level guidelines for Medicaid-related materials. Of these, 24 (52.2%) states' Medicaid renewal applications failed to meet their guidelines on all 3 readability tests; in particular, 41 states (89.1%) failed the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Index. Only one state's application had a Flesch-Kincaid score below a 5th-grade reading level. CONCLUSIONS: As health care reform unfolds, complying with established reading level guidelines for Medicaid-related materials is one simplification strategy that should be implemented to improve access for Medicaid-eligible families and prevent eligible children from losing coverage unnecessarily.
OBJECTIVE: To examine compliance of Medicaid-renewal applications to established state guidelines for reading level of Medicaid-related materials. METHODS: We assessed the reading level of the 2008 Medicaid renewal applications by using 3 readability tests: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Index, New Fog Count, and FORCAST. RESULTS: In 2008, 45 states and the District of Columbia had reading level guidelines for Medicaid-related materials. Of these, 24 (52.2%) states' Medicaid renewal applications failed to meet their guidelines on all 3 readability tests; in particular, 41 states (89.1%) failed the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Index. Only one state's application had a Flesch-Kincaid score below a 5th-grade reading level. CONCLUSIONS: As health care reform unfolds, complying with established reading level guidelines for Medicaid-related materials is one simplification strategy that should be implemented to improve access for Medicaid-eligible families and prevent eligible children from losing coverage unnecessarily.
Authors: Neda Ratanawongsa; Andrew J Karter; Judy Quan; Melissa M Parker; Margaret Handley; Urmimala Sarkar; Julie A Schmittdiel; Dean Schillinger Journal: J Manag Care Spec Pharm Date: 2015-08
Authors: Jeffrey K Hom; Charlene Wong; Christian Stillson; Jessica Zha; Carolyn C Cannuscio; Rachel Cahill; David Grande Journal: Inquiry Date: 2016-10-27 Impact factor: 1.730
Authors: Jessica Y Lee; Kimon Divaris; Darren A DeWalt; A Diane Baker; Ziya Gizlice; R Gary Rozier; William F Vann Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-10-10 Impact factor: 3.240