San Jose Mercury News
Wednesday, January 29, 2003

KEEPING KIDS HEALTHY

STATE SHOULD MAKE RENEWAL OF
HEALTH INSURANCE A SIMPLE TASK

AFTER struggling early on, California is now succeeding in signing up poor children for health insurance.

The next challenge is to keep them on board.

Children's advocacy groups this week provided the state with a blueprint for keeping children from falling through the cracks that open up in the paths of families trying to keep track of who is eligible for which program. An Einstein would be daunted by the complexities of renewing insurance at different times, with different paperwork, for children who qualify for different insurance programs and must see different doctors. No wonder that parents already juggling jobs and child care find it hard to remember if an insurance form should have come in the mail last week but didn't.

Many of the changes suggested by The 100 Percent Campaign would be simple to implement: call parents to check addresses if renewal forms aren't returned; use forms that need be returned only if there are major changes, such as a new job or a child leaving home; synchronize Medi-Cal and Healthy Family renewals within
families so they fall due on the same date.

Other changes would require much bigger policy changes, such as signing up all children in one family for just one program, whether Medi-Cal, Healthy Families or a county program such as those in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. In the long run, families participating in subsidized insurance should find it as easy to get
and keep as middle-income Americans do when they sign up for insurance upon getting a new job.

Simplifying the process doesn't mean more people will cheat -- states that make it simple to keep insurance don't see any more fraud than states that make it difficult. And the cost of re-enrolling a child is much higher than just renewing existing insurance.

Advocacy groups have helped California meet its commitment to provide health care for children, even if adults must do without. This latest report shows how the state can continue that commitment -- and in some cases, save money in the process.

CONTACTS

Medi-Cal: call (888) 747-1222

Healthy Families: call (800) 880-5305

Santa Clara County's Healthy Kids: (888) 244-5222

San Mateo County's Healthy Kids: (650) 573-3595
 

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