California Officials Brace for New Restrictions on Kids’ Health Enrollment
Federal changes to enrollment criteria for the State Children's Health Insurance Program strain California's programs for uninsured children, according to some health officials, Capital Public Radio's "KXJZ News" reports (Weiss, "KXJZ News," Capital Public Radio, 2/11).
Last month, President Bush signed legislation that will provide funding for SCHIP through March 2009 (California Healthline, 1/2).
Ronald Springarn of the state Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board -- which oversees Healthy Families, California's version of SCHIP -- said current federal funds will sustain the state's program until September. Funding from September through March, when SCHIP must be renewed, is still uncertain, according to Springarn.
The segment also includes comments from:
- Bonnie Ferreira of Cover the Kids, Sacramento County's health insurance program for children who do not qualify for Healthy Families or Medicaid; and
- Patricia Samuelson, a physician at the Norwood Clinic in Sacramento ("KXJZ News," Capital Public Radio, 2/11).
A transcript and audio of the segment are available online. This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.