Despite expansions of Medicaid eligibility for children in Ohio, thousands of low-income children in Mahoning County were without health insurance in 1997. The District Board of Health created a local health insurance program through a partnership with Ohio Caring Foundation-the community outreach arm of Ohio Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Program goals were to: 1) integrate the preventive care available in health dept. clinics with illness care by finding a medical home in the private sector for low-income, uninsured children; 2) increase the number of private sector doctors who provide the preventive care services families seek from the public system. The Board of Health paid a $400 annual premium for 276 uninsured children who were not eligible for Medicaid. Families selected a doctor from a panel recruited by the Board of Health.Health status and service utilization were determined by telephone survey after enrollment.Results: More than one in ten families lacked a regular source of health care before enrollment. Annual rates of doctor office visits by enrolled children were higher than national rates. Emergency room visits were lower than national rates. The physician panel increased from 22 to 100 during the 15 months of the program. One-third of the program families made the transition to the State CHIP in 1998 when eligibility criteria expanded in Ohio. Conclusion: Health insurance coverage for low-income children promotes utilization of primary care services and can reduce emergency dept. visits. Efforts to recruit physicians to care for the uninsured can be successful on a community level.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant (learner) will be able to: 1. Describe the partnership implemented in Mahoning County to provide health care to uninsured children. 2.Discuss the services provided under this partnership. 3.Identify the measureable outcomes of this innovative program
Keywords: Access to Health Care, Partnerships
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: District Board of Health, Mahoning, County, Ohio
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.