California Health Insurance enrollment up

By The Times-Standard



More than 3,000 local children have enrolled in health insurance programs over the last three years with the help of local clinics' outreach efforts.



The North Coast Clinics Network, a nonprofit consortium of community health centers in Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity counties, recently reviewed Healthy Families enrollment statistics compiled by Maximus, the program's new administrative vendor.



Since September of 2001, when the network began its outreach program, 3,262 children have enrolled onto the Healthy Families program in Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity counties. Disenrollment and "aging out" can causes lack of retention, but Healthy Families enrollment has increased by 50 percent since the network began outreach activities. As of December, 2,880 children -- over 8 percent of all North Coast kids -- are covered by Healthy Families. In addition, 1,563 more children are enrolled in Medi-Cal for children than when the network began its program -- an 11 percent increase.



Healthy Families is a low-cost health plan with dental, vision and medical health benefits for uninsured children in low-income working families. Family incomes up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level ($47,125 for a family of 4) may qualify. Medi-Cal for Children is generally no-cost health coverage with full benefits for uninsured children, but has a lower income threshold than Healthy Families.



North Coast Clinics Network staff worked to enroll children in these programs through outreach at community events, through direct enrollment assistance, through helping families appeal erroneous plan determinations and through providing support to other community agencies working to help enroll children of their own staff or clients.