Impact of the Healthy Kids program on access to and use of health services for children ineligible for SCHIP or Medicaid

Research Aim: This research reviews health care access and use among children enrolled in a public insurance program in San Mateo County, California called “Healthy Kids.” Research Design: This paper analyzes data from a household survey of parents of children enrolled in Healthy Kids. The survey is part of a 5-year comprehensive evaluation of the Children's Health Initiative in the county. Study Population: The study population is children aged 1-18 years who are enrolled in the Healthy Kids program. These children are predominantly low-income, Latino, undocumented immigrants who are not eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP. Findings: The Healthy Kids program has significantly increased enrollee's use of primary and preventive care services. In the six months prior to the survey, sixty percent of children enrolled in the program for one year had an ambulatory care visit and 54 percent had a preventive care visit, compared to just 33 percent and 38 percent respectively for children prior to enrollment. Having Healthy Kids insurance has also improved access to care substantially—90 percent of children enrolled for one year have a usual source of medical care, compared to just 58 percent of children prior to enrollment. Other positive impacts of the program include a reduction in inpatient hospital stays and unmet needs for care, as well as significant effects on the quality of family life—parents report they worry less about meeting their child's health care needs, have increased confidence they can get care for their child, and feel the program has alleviated financial hardships related to healthcare costs.