Thread: More Problems

http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/11 ... 7248c.html

Check out the people who are using this program that allow the so-called poor get free medical for their children. One lady needed an interpreter because she only spoke spanish.

"Healthy Kids provides insurance for children in families earning up to 300% of poverty or $4,838 a month for a family of four."

If you are unable to open the story, you will have to register for free on the website.

MelvinPainter, unfortunately, federal law dictates that we must provide basic health care, basic education and basic nutrition to anyone under the age of 19 regardless of where they came from or what they are doing here. That is one of the laws we are trying to change as it applies to illegal aliens. We shouldn't have to give them anything but a ticket home if you ask me and I'd be happy as a pig in mud to do that.

Federal law also dictates that we have to provide emergency medical care to anyone who needs it. How many gang members with gunshot wounds get free treatment in your city?

Melvin,

I cannot read the article without registering for the web site. Could you please copy and paste it here to save everyone from having to register. Also would appreciate a more descriptive thread title to know what the subject is about. Thanks!

Shot in the arm
Kids in 2 Valley counties can get health insurance, but demand may be too much.

By Barbara Anderson / The Fresno Bee

(Updated Friday, February 24, 2006, 9:53 AM)
CLICK FOR MORE INFO Click for more information on this story
CLICK FOR LESS INFO Click to show less information on this story
To enroll in Healthy Kids

In Fresno County

* Questions about the program or eligibility information: (866) 459-4545.
* To schedule an appointment to enroll children, contact the Fresno Health Consumer Center: English telephone line, (800) 376-0455; Spanish telephone line, (800) 376-0456.


In Tulare County

o Questions about the program, eligibility or to schedule an appointment to enroll children: (877) 613-5437; or visit Web sites at www.healthykidstulare.org for English or www.healthykidstcespanol.org for Spanish.

Omar Palacios left a shot clinic at West Side Elementary School in Five Points with more than up-to-date immunizations and a sore arm last week. The 11-year-old also went home with health insurance.

Raquel Canada, 54, a relative of Omar, enrolled the child in Healthy Kids, a new insurance program being offered to children in Fresno and Tulare counties.

"I feel happy and relaxed that I don't have to fear for his health coverage any more," an interpreter translated Wednesday for Canada, who speaks Spanish.

Healthy Kids advocates began taking applications in Fresno County in January. Workers in Tulare County started enrolling children earlier this month.

Officials in Fresno and Tulare counties hoped to slowly launch the programs and have kept a low profile since enrollment started. But pent-up demand for health insurance for children is too high. Already program officials worry they won't be able to pay for insurance for every child who needs it.

Healthy Kids provides health, dental and vision insurance for children of working families who earn too much for government programs but not enough to afford employer-sponsored family health coverage. And it provides insurance for children who are not citizens of the United States or who are legal immigrants not eligible for government help.

Healthy Kids provides insurance for children in families earning up to 300% of poverty or $4,838 a month for a family of four.

Healthy Kids is a product of Children's Health Initiatives, public-private partnerships created in each county to address children's health-care needs.

Kings County received a $150,000 implementation grant this month from the California Health Care Foundation to develop a Children's Health Initiative. Madera County decided to focus on increasing enrollment in Medi-Cal and Healthy Families, two existing government insurance programs.

The Children's Health Initiatives in Fresno and Tulare counties include outreach to enroll children in Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. But Healthy Kids is designed for children who don't qualify for those programs.

About 8,500 children from birth to age 18 without insurance may be eligible for Healthy Kids in Fresno County and an additional 6,800 children in Tulare County.

Healthy Kids programs in Fresno and Tulare counties have enough money for children up to age 5. But there's not enough money to cover all of those eligible from ages 6 to 18.

Thus far, older children make up the majority of those enrolled. In Fresno County, 177 of the 204 children enrolled through Jan. 27 were older than 5. In the first 11 days of enrollment in Tulare County, 137 of 168 children enrolled were older than 5.

"We're guessing we'll make it four or five months before we go to a wait list [for children ages 6 to 18]," said Dorinda Ohnstad, program director for the Children's Health Initiative for Fresno County.
Registered nurse Kathleen Freeman puts a bandage on the arm of Omar Palacios, 11, after giving him an immunization. The Fresno County Office of Education provided the mobile health clinic and the nurses who were able to treat the kids on the spot.

Registered nurse Kathleen Freeman puts a bandage on the arm of Omar Palacios, 11, after giving him an immunization. The Fresno County Office of Education provided the mobile health clinic and the nurses who were able to treat the kids on the spot.

Mark Crosse / The Fresno Bee

No waiting list is expected for children from birth to age 5 in either county.

Fresno and Tulare counties rely on tobacco-tax money from First 5 commissions to provide insurance for children 5 and younger. First 5 commissions use a 50-cents-a-pack tobacco tax approved by voters in 1998 to pay for early-childhood programs. The money cannot be used for older children.

In Fresno County, First 5 commissioners set aside $6.4 million for three years for the Children's Health Initiative. Tulare County First 5 committed to at least $1.5 million per year.

The only money Fresno County has for children ages 6 to 18 is a $630,000 grant from The California Endowment to pay for health premiums, Ohnstad said.

The grant will fund about 750 older children for one year, she said.

Tulare County has a $250,000 endowment grant to cover 225 older children and has applied for a Blue Shield of California Foundation grant to pay for insurance for an additional 400.

"We have a limit," said Brooke Frost, manager of the Children's Health Initiative in Tulare County.

Families with children enrolled in Healthy Kids pay monthly premiums based on income. The highest premium is $15 per child or a maximum of $45 per family.

Officials don't expect premiums to pay for program costs, which are in the millions. Said Ohnstad: "Over three years, maybe we'll collect $135,000 in premiums."

On Wednesday at West Side Elementary, Raquel Torres, a Healthy Kids advocate, paired with staff from the Fresno County Office of Education to let parents know about the insurance.

Canada had no idea there was insurance available for her grandson. She'd come to the school so Omar could get vaccinations at the Office of Education's mobile shot-clinic.

She's been paying for all his medical care. She works part time at a ranch office and her husband is a ranch employee.

Last year, her grandson had a cut above an eyebrow that required stitches. Canada is still paying the $2,000 medical bill.

She plans to tell others about the children's insurance. "There are a lot of people where I live who need it," she said.

Ohnstad said the challenge for Healthy Kids is to keep up with telephone calls from parents wishing to enroll their children. "People are really craving this, which is good."
The reporter can be reached at banderson@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6310.