San Francisco Health Access Program Expands Citywide
On Monday, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (D) announced the "next bold phase" in the city's universal health care access program as 20 additional clinics citywide became available for uninsured residents, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Knight, San Francisco Chronicle, 9/18).
Participants will have access to 14 city health clinics and eight affiliated community clinics, with an emphasis on preventive care and chronic disease care. However, because it is not health insurance, the program will not cover the cost of services received outside the city (California Healthline, 9/17).
The city aims to cover all 82,000 uninsured residents under the program. The expansion on Monday applies only to residents with incomes that do not exceed 100% of the federal poverty level.
The next expansion phase, beginning in November, will not have income requirements.
To qualify for the program, adults must be uninsured, city residents and ineligible for Medicare or Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program.
Eligibility does not consider employment, pre-existing medical conditions or immigration status.
Participants' medical information is stored on one centralized computer system, accessible to all providers participating in the program (San Francisco Chronicle, 9/18).