Sacramento Bee Examines Bay Area Health Plans for Children
The Sacramento Bee yesterday profiled three Bay Area health care plans that provide health coverage to children whose families make too much money to be eligible for government-funded plans but too little to afford private insurance. The programs are models for counties around the state that are considering ways to reduce their uninsured populations, the Bee reports.
- Santa Clara County: The Healthy Kids program covers children whose families earn up to 300% of the federal poverty level, or $52,950 a year for a family of four. California's CHIP program, Healthy Families, provides health coverage to children in families that earn up to about $44,000 annually. The $14 million Healthy Kids program -- which is funded by Santa Clara County, the city of San Jose, state tobacco settlement money and private donations from individuals and companies -- has enrolled 8,249 children.
- San Francisco County: Families of children who qualify for the Healthy Kids program pay $4 per month per child and receive access to health care at six hospitals and through a network of 1,000 doctors. The program has a $5 million annual budget, a relatively low amount because the county has the lowest percentage of children in the state.
- Alameda County: Since July 2000, the Alameda Alliance for Health has enrolled and provided health coverage to more then 5,300 residents who do not qualify for government programs. The program charges monthly premiums of $20 per adult and $10 per child, slightly higher than those of other programs (Miller, Sacramento Bee, 3/10).
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