LOS ANGELES, June 22, 2004 — A Coalition of nearly 50 local organizations announced today that they are raising $112 million to fund health coverage for children in Los Angeles County who are now without health insurance. The Coalition, which calls its program the Children’s Health Initiative of Greater Los Angeles, has already collected more than $80 million in donations and pledges, which is being allocated to the recent expansion of the Healthy Kids program to include children through age 18. According to the Coalition’s leaders, the $112 million fund will last approximately three years, but the Coalition’s larger goal is to create a permanent long-term solution to provide 100 percent health insurance coverage for all children in Los Angeles County within that time period.

            The Children’s Health Initiative of Greater Los Angeles is one of several health initiatives throughout the state working to provide health coverage to uninsured children. The $112 million fund will cover the cost of health insurance premiums for children who qualify, as well as ongoing efforts to increase enrollment into other existing publicly funded health insurance programs.

            “What’s remarkable is this incredible coalition of organizations representing every facet of our diverse and large community who have come together to make this a stunning success,” said Howard Kahn, one of the Coalition’s co-conveners and CEO of L.A. Care Health Plan. “Our overarching goal is to ensure that no child has to go without health care so that we can keep kids healthy.”

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There are more than one million uninsured children and youth 18 and younger in California, and more than 350,000 in Los Angeles County alone, according to the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Seventy-four percent are eligible for, but not enrolled in, Medi-Cal or Healthy Families and 90 percent reside in households with annual incomes less than 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level – which equates to approximately $56,000 for a family of four. Nine percent are immigrant children of legally documented immigrant parents, and 21 percent are children of undocumented immigrants. 

 “The Children’s Health Initiative is working to provide health insurance for the most vulnerable members of our society, our children,” said Robert K. Ross, M.D., a Coalition co-convener and the president and CEO of The California Endowment, whose mission is to increase Californians’ access to health care. “If we can succeed here in Los Angeles County, the epicenter of the nation’s uninsured, we believe that we can build from that accomplishment and achieve universal health coverage for all California children in families with incomes at or below 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, including undocumented children.”

According to Dr. Tom Garthwaite, a Coalition co-convener and director of the County Department of Health Services, “the expansion of Healthy Kids means that almost all uninsured children are eligible for free or low-cost health insurance. Whether enrolled in Healthy Kids, Medi-Cal or Healthy Families, having health insurance will make it easier for children to get continuous care and treatment for chronic conditions.”

Children and youth 18 and younger who live in Los Angeles County could be eligible for a program, even if their parents are working and have a steady income. The programs available through L.A. Care Health Plan are:

• Medi-Cal – free or low-cost program for children in families with low incomes

• Healthy Families – low-cost insurance for children in families whose income is too high to qualify for Medi-Cal but does not exceed 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (approximately $47,000 annually for a family of four)

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• Healthy Kids – until recently, this program only covered children through age 5 with funding from First 5 LA. With funding from the Children’s Health Initiative, the program is now expanded to cover youth through age 18 in families at or below 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (approximately $56,000 annually for a family of four) who are ineligible for Medi-Cal and Healthy Families.

For questions about eligibility or enrollment, parents are encouraged to call 1-888-4LA-KIDS (1-888-452-5437).

A Closer Look at One Family Who Is Affected

At the announcement of the $112 million Children’s Health Initiative fund, a family impacted by the lack of health insurance told their story. Maria Bejarano and her husband live with their four children in Los Angeles. When Maria's husband lost his job, she and their children were left without health insurance coverage. Their 12-year old son suffered from severe asthma and needed constant medical attention. Taking him to the emergency room resulted in a pile of bills that the family couldn’t afford to pay. As a result, Maria and her husband took their son to a faith healer whose treatments only aggravated the boy’s illness. The family eventually learned they could qualify for a low-cost health insurance program and were enrolled.  Today, the Bejaranos’ son is getting regular care and medication for his asthma.

About the Children’s Health Initiative of Greater Los Angeles Coalition

The Children’s Health Initiative of Greater Los Angeles is backed by a coalition of healthcare providers, private employers, business leaders, advocacy groups, foundations, public health officials, labor unions and educators. The coalition co-conveners are L.A. Care Health Plan, The California Endowment, and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Key financial supporters include Blue Shield of California Foundation, California Community Foundation, First 5 L. A., Kaiser Permanente Health Plan, L.A. Care Health Plan, The California Endowment, and UniHealth Foundation. For more information about the Children’s Health Initiative of Greater Los Angeles, please visit www.chigla.org or call 1-888-4LA-KIDS (1-888-452-5437).  A full list of Coalition participants is available.