Health Policy Center Authors

Publications by Patricia Barreto for Health Policy Center

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A second series of focus groups with parents of children enrolled in the Los Angeles Healthy Kids program found that opinions of the program remain favorable despite its recent fiscal challenges. Healthy Kids had provided comprehensive, affordable coverage to nearly 45,000 poor children from birth through age 18 until mid-2005, but funding shortfalls led the program to cap enrollment for older children and enrollment levels for all children subsequently slipped. Still, the program remains highly valued by parents for providing high quality, comprehensive coverage and parents report good access to linguistically appropriate care and affordable out-of-pocket costs.

The Los Angeles Healthy Kids program, during its first four years, extended comprehensive, affordable coverage to over 40,000 poor and vulnerable children, and improved their access to and use of care. Yet, the program also faced serious challenges, primarily related to financing. Funding for children ages 6 through 18 ran short in spring 2005 and Healthy Kids capped their enrollment. State health reform efforts that could have stabilized funding for the program have failed. Based on interviews with over 40 stakeholders, this case study analyzes the complex challenges that the Los Angeles Healthy Kids program faces at this critical juncture.

The Los Angeles Healthy Kids program, during its first four years, extended comprehensive, affordable coverage to over 40,000 poor and vulnerable children, and improved their access to and use of care. Yet, the program also faced serious challenges, primarily related to financing. Funding for children ages 6 through 18 ran short in spring 2005 and Healthy Kids capped their enrollment. State health reform efforts that could have stabilized funding for the program have failed. Based on interviews with over 40 stakeholders, this case study analyzes the complex challenges that the Los Angeles Healthy Kids program faces at this critical juncture.

A series of focus groups with parents of children enrolled in the Los Angeles County Healthy Kids program found that the program is providing families with a highly valued service in the form of comprehensive health insurance coverage, permitting their children easier access to care, making health services more affordable, and increasing options for where and when to obtain care. The groups explored parents' feelings about and experiences with Healthy Kids, which extends coverage to uninsured children from birth through age 18 in families with income below 300 percent of the federal poverty level who are ineligible for Medicaid or SCHIP.

A series of focus groups with parents of children enrolled in the Los Angeles County Healthy Kids program found that the program is providing families with a highly valued service in the form of comprehensive health insurance coverage, permitting their children easier access to care, making health services more affordable, and increasing options for where and when to obtain care. The groups explored parents' feelings about and experiences with Healthy Kids, which extends coverage to uninsured children from birth through age 18 in families with income below 300 percent of the federal poverty level who are ineligible for Medicaid or SCHIP.

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