Coalition Raising Funds To Extend Children’s Health Care Coverage in Sonoma County
A health care coalition on Wednesday announced a campaign to raise funds to establish Healthy Kids Sonoma County, a program that aims to extend health care coverage to Sonoma County residents younger than 19 years old who are not covered by state programs, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports. The program is estimated to cost $3.3 million annually beginning in 2007.
St. Joseph Health System, Sutter Health and Kaiser Permanente have agreed to donate $500,000 for the program. First Five Sonoma County, which distributes funds from a state cigarette tax under Proposition 10, on Wednesday said it would contribute $550,000 annually for five years.
Other funds will be provided by the state and county and grants and donations from foundations. According to the Press Democrat, the coalition aims to solicit an additional $1 million annually from private companies.
Healthy Kids program directors said that about 90% of program funds would be used to pay premiums to medical services providers. Most medical services likely will be provided by community clinics, with hospitals providing acute care.
The county Department of Health Services will coordinate medical services, and Community Foundation Sonoma County will supervise funding.
Other counties with Healthy Kids programs include San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, San Joaquin and Los Angeles (Rose, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 5/5).