TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute two agreements and all necessary documents with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., to accept grant funds to provide outreach services for enrolling uninsured children into Kaiser Child Health Plan; and increase appropriations in the Health fund (SR 130) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HE) by $30,000. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach, through the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
has been selected to receive two Kaiser Foundation Child Health Plan (CHP) Outreach
Grant Awards, one in the amount of $25,000 to conduct community outreach, enrollment,
and retention services and the second in the amount of $5,000 for program technology
enhancements. The total amount awarded to DHHS is $30,000. The award will support
and expand the current DHHS efforts to increase access and enrollment of uninsured
children into Kaiser CHP and other free or low-cost health insurance programs.
The Kaiser CHP Outreach Program Grant will be integrated with the seven year old DHHS
citywide campaign that enrolls children in Medi-Call Healthy Families, and Healthy Kids
insurance programs. Due to countywide outreach and enrollment efforts over the past
several years, it is estimated that 90 percent of children in Service Planning Area (SPA) 8,
which includes Long Beach, are now insured. Ongoing efforts are now needed to help
families maintain that coverage, and to strive to enroll the remaining 10 percent, most of
whom are eligible for Kaiser CHP or one of the other low-cost insurance programs. Kaiser
CHP is designed to provide healthcare coverage for children that do not qualify for the
aforementioned programs due to income or immigration status. The funds will be used to
ensure that children in the city of Long Beach will have access to affordable comprehensive
healthcare coverage. The goals for the DHHS upon receipt of this funding is to enroll a
minimum of 250 children, provide retention and utilization education to 200 families, and to
enhance city-wide enrollment efforts by utilizing the State's web-based application process.
Since the DHHS insurance enrollment program was initiated in 1998, more than 20,000
children and families have accessed low or no cost health insurance and have been
enrolled in the appropriate health plan.
This matter was reviewed by Senior Deputy City Attorney Donna F. Gwin on June 12, 2006
and by Budget Management Officer, David Wodynski on June 12,2006.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is requested on June 20, 2006, as the agreement became
effective on June 15,2006
FISCAL IMPACT
The City will receive an increase in grant revenues of $30,000 to offset expenditures of the
same amount. An appropriations increase for the amount is included in the
recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
RONALD A. ARIAS |
APPROVED: |
DIRECTOR HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES |
|
|
|
|
GERALD R. MILLER |
|
CITY MANAGER |