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PR-05/22/02: EFFORT TO PROVIDE HEALTH COVERAGE FOR ALL KIDS PICKS UP STEAM IN COUNTY

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SAN MATEO COUNTY HEALTH SERVICES AGENCY 05/22/2002 CONTACT: Toby Douglas 650-573-2095 Effort to provide health coverage for all kids picks up steam in County The effort to provide health coverage for all San Mateo County's children is well on its way to a 2003 launch after 150 decision-makers in government, health care, social services, business, labor, and philanthropy came together Friday for a daylong summit in Millbrae. It is expected to cost $7.7 million to insure the 20,600 uninsured children living in households with incomes under 400 percent of the federal poverty level - approximately $61,000 for a family of three and just below the county's estimated minimum cost to raise a family. Nine out of 10 of the parents of these children are working. In April, the Children and Families First Commission of San Mateo County took the first step, committing $2.3 million per year to cover 6,700 children from birth to age 6. Despite the need to slash budgets throughout the county, the San Mateo County Supervisors committed themselves to the cause with a potential pledge to match dollar-for-dollar funds raised, up to the needed $5.4 million. Private donors, corporations and philanthropic organizations will be asked to fund the remaining amount. Sterling Speirn, president of the Peninsula Community Foundation and Friday's keynote speaker, indicated that PCF would be exploring avenues to help achieve the goal. "It is a disgrace that San Mateo County, one the most affluent, sophisticated counties in the country, has more than 20,000 uninsured children," Supervisor Mike Nevin said Friday. "Whether it's good times or bad, San Mateo County must do better for its children, and we will all work together to do so." Rebecca M. is one of those working parents who just can't make ends meet in one of the most affluent and expensive counties in the U.S. A single mother, she lives with her daughter, Kailey, in South San Francisco and works as a salesperson for an electronics company. She makes about $3,000 a month. Her company offers insurance for dependents but she couldn't afford the premiums for Kailey. Rebecca sought help but, for a family of two, her income is too high to qualify for the available health insurance programs (Healthy Families and Kaiser Cares for Kids). Her gross income is above 300 percent of Federal Poverty Level. "You either give up child care or cut clothing costs or double up and share living space - or you give up health care," Supervisor Rich Gordon said in describing families like Rebecca and Kailey. "Health care is usually the first to go." Coverage for the county's Children's Health Initiative is expected to be handled in this way: 6,750 will receive coverage under Healthy Kids, a newly created health plan for children who are undocumented or living in households with incomes between 250 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level. 13,900 with incomes under 250 percent of poverty will be linked to the Medi-Cal (8,050 kids) and Healthy Families (5,800 kids) The Healthy Kids benefit package for the children will closely mirror the Healthy Families Program in benefits, premium and co-payment structure and provide an array of outpatient and inpatient services, prescription drugs, mental health, dental, vision and preventive care such as primary care visits and immunizations. San Francisco and Santa Clara counties already have such programs in place, and San Mateo County is expect to replicate much of Santa Clara's program. "A current notion says that we all must share in the pain of the budget crisis," Supervisor Jerry Hill said Friday. "The children of San Mateo County shouldn't have to share that pain. We'll do all we can to see that they don't."