Agenda - 11-03-1999 - 10a - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Action Agenda Item No. /O- «., ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: November 3, 1999 SUBJECT: Orange County Health Choice Report DEPARTMENT: Health and Social Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/1~ 11ro: ATTACHMENT(S): Activity Report INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosemary Summers or Marti Pryor-Cook TELEPHONE NUMBERS: - -ext. 2411 or 2802 Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 227-2031 PURPOSE: To provide an update on Orange County's progress in North Carolina Health Choice for Children Program BACKGROUND: In 1998, the legislature approved state funding to draw down federal dollars to provide health insurance for children up to 200% of the federal poverty level. The North Cazolina program became available for enrollment in October of 1998. Each county was required to establish a local coalition that would develop a plan to identify and enroll qualified children in this new health insurance program. The state estimated that Orange County had a tazget number of 474 children that would qualify for this program. By the end of August 1999, Orange County had achieved that number of enrollees. During this same period of time an additiona1444 children have been enrolled in Medicaid (Health Check) program. This means that over 900 children are now able to receive needed health caze who one yeaz ago had no means to pay for that care. 97 children that applied for either Health Choice or Medicaid were denied, primarily because family incomes were too high. or citizenship status. The Department of Social Services has collected $8,150 in enrollment fees from families. Private funding was obtained to subsidize the enrollment fee for families that could not afford the $50 per child/$100 per family with multiple .children enrollment fee. This has reduced the financial enrollment barrier for families with marginal incomes. The Orange County Coalition has more than 30 representatives from over 24 agencies continuing to participate in the planning and implementation of this effort. With. the one year anniversary of October 1, the coalition would like to present a report to the Commissioners of the progress of this. program. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None RECOMMENDATON(S): The Manager recommends that the Commissioners receive the report.