KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - The state of Washington is launching a new initiative called Apple Health for Kids, a project aimed at boosting enrollment in children’s medical assistance programs.

The “Apple Health Bus” will tour the state during August, visiting communities and providing information on the new initiative.

State kickoff July 31 Gov. Chris Gregoire and King County Executive Ron Sims will headline a group of health care professionals, state executives and stakeholders at an Apple Health for Kids kickoff event at 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 31, in Seattle at Rainier Playfield, 3700 South

Gov. Chris Gregoire said the new approach, which kicks off with a special event in Seattle on Thursday (July 31), will include a statewide bus tour to stir interest in covering children, simplifies the process for parents and stakeholders helping the state reach out to uninsured children.

“By making covering kids a priority, we have been able to get 84,000 children health care coverage. We still have a ways to go because there are approximately 75,000 children in the state uninsured despite the Legislature’s efforts to raise income eligibility limits and open up programs to the families that need them,” Gregoire said. “Apple Health for Kids will help us reach out to those families and help them get coverage for their children."

The Apple Health kickoff event will be held at 1 p.m. at the Rainier Playfield, 3700 South Alaska Street, in Seattle’s Rainier Valley with Governor Gregoire and King County Executive Ron Sims. The two executives have both been champions of increasing children’s medical enrollments.

King County has been a leader in getting more children the health care they need and partnering with the state on real solutions. In 2007, the King County Executive, with support from the County Council, established the Children’s Health Initiative (CHI) as a public/private partnership to improve low-income families’ ability to enroll in federal and state health insurance programs.

CHI helps ensure that King County children obtain appropriate preventive-focused primary medical, dental, and behavioral health care. It also piloted innovative efforts in these areas in advance of the state’s expansion of coverage through the Apple Health for Kids initiative. Over 2,700 children have been enrolled in coverage through the Children’s Health Initiative; 83% of them have seen a doctor and 49% have seen a dentist.

“I said over two years ago, when we looked at the numbers of uninsured children in King County, that when we go to bed at night we need to rest assured that all our children have access to quality health services,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “This new state initiative builds on and complements our local efforts that are already making a difference.”

(l-r) Hafoc Yates, Public Health’s Dr. David Fleming, Governor Christine Gregoire, King County Executive Ron Sims, Rep. Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney and Dr. Ben Danielson of Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic

On Saturday, August 2, the health bus moves to Bellingham’s Bloedel Donovan Park for that community’s KidFest. Future bus visits will include Spokane, Tri-Cities, Yakima, and Sunnyside during the week of August 11. The bus will visit Southwestern Washington the week of August 18; South Sound and the Kitsap peninsula the week of August 25; and Tacoma and Auburn the first week in September.

Local officials and children’s advocates will participate in the bus stops. Workers on the bus will be able to accept applications in between public appearances. The statewide Apple Health for Kids drive will conclude with a special information night at the Seattle Mariners’ Safeco Field in early September.

Currently, any child in a family whose income does not exceed 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($53,000 a year for a family of four) can qualify for Apple Health for Kids. The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has consolidated the application process and simplified it -- parents can enroll their children with the same form and with the help of local contractors in every Washington county who have contracted with DSHS to help provide families with information and assistance in enrolling children.

On January 1, 2009, the eligibility limits for Apple Health will increase again, to 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($63,600 for a family of four). In addition, the Legislature ordered DSHS to develop a new medical program for next year to accept children in families above 300 percent of FPL, provided they pay the full cost of their coverage.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

A toll-free help line and a new Web page will help steer parents and stakeholders to simplified enrollment procedures for low-income children’s health coverage. Call 1-877-543-7669 or visit the Web page at: http://Applehealthforkids.wa.gov

In King County, call the Children’s Health Initiative at 206-296-4841 or visit www.metrokc.gov/health/kchap/chi.htm.

FOR ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND, CONTACT:

Jim Stevenson, Communications Director, HRSA, DSHS, 360-902-7604 (Pager: 360-971-4067).

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