News and Alerts
Posted: June 19, 2009
Contact: Mary Maddux-González, MD, MPH
Public Health Officer, County of Sonoma
(707) 565-4401
Cliff Coates
Program Director, Healthy Kids Sonoma County
(707) 565-4419
Thousands of Children in Sonoma County and the State to be Denied Health Insurance
The State run Healthy Families program that covers over 12,500 children in Sonoma County and 919,000 in California has implemented an enrollment freeze for new children into the program as a result of a $90 million funding shortfall and State budget stalemate. Thousands of children from low-income families in Sonoma County and throughout California will be denied health coverage starting today. In Sonoma County, an estimated 4,355 children will be denied coverage over the next twelve months if the enrollment freeze remains in-place. Up to 350,000 kids in California will be denied coverage.
Healthy Kids Sonoma County is a local community collaborative that assists children and families enroll and retain health coverage. Since initiation of the Program in 2004, 9,000 more low income children in Sonoma County have health insurance. The State Healthy Families Program, covers approximately 10% of all children in Sonoma County. Cliff Coates, Program Manager for Health Kids Sonoma County stated, "This is a huge blow to our effort to ensure every child in Sonoma County has access to health and dental care - our estimates indicate 12 eligible children a day will be denied coverage and be placed on a waiting list until funding is available." Coates continued, "The wait time for children needing health care coverage remains unknown pending resolution of the State budget stalemate."
Dr. Mary Maddux-González, Health Officer of the County of Sonoma emphasized, "Denying children health insurance is not the answer for California. We know that children are more likely to get the preventative care they need when they are insured. Without insurance, children may delay needed care resulting in episodic use of emergency room care for childhood illnesses at a much greater cost... Our community will end-up paying for this one-way or another."
The freeze goes into effect immediately. Children who apply after today will be placed on a waiting list and enrolled only when funding is restored or costs reductions are made. The Healthy Kids Program staff urge Sonoma County families to continue to apply of coverage and be eligible for coverage when funding becomes available. The enrollment freeze does not apply to children who currently have Healthy Families health coverage, or want to renew their existing coverage. Generally, children are eligible when household income is less than 250% of federal poverty guidelines ($53,000/year for a family of four). Families can contact Healthy Kids Sonoma County at 1-800-427-8982 for assistance with an application.
More information is available at:
www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov
www.healthykidssonomacounty.org
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