TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute the Eighth Amendment to Contract Agreement No. H-300266, and any subsequent amendments or necessary documents, between Los Angeles County and the City of Long Beach for the Community Outreach, Enrollment, Utilization and Retention (COEUR) Program in the not-to-exceed amount of $353,028 for the period of July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2015, to provide Community Outreach, Enrollment, Utilization and Retention (COEUR) services for the benefit of low to moderate income families to gain affordable medical insurance. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
It is estimated that 23 percent, or 102,440, of Long Beach residents are uninsured, well above the 18.5 percent uninsured rate for the State (U.S. Census, 2010). Furthermore, approximately one in four children in Los Angeles County are uninsured (Los Angeles County, DPH, 2011). Lack of health insurance is the most important barrier impacting children's access to health care. Children without health insurance are less likely than those who are insured to see a physician for prevention-based care including immunizations and other well-child care services. Uninsured families tend to rely on emergency rooms for their regular source of care, and to go without needed medical care for acute and chronic health conditions such as ear infections, throat infections, and asthma.
Since 2003, the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) has received funding from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to assist children (ages 0-5) and their families to get medical coverage. The COEUR program keeps kids healthy by ensuring access to health care coverage through community outreach, assistance with enrollment, utilization of services, and retention of health insurance benefits. Intensive case management and follow-up is conducted to ensure full use of medical and preventive care benefits for children and families that qualify for low-o...
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