Posted: Friday, 22 June 2007 7:09AM

Study Reveals Benefits of Healthy Kids Program

SANTA CLARA , Calif. (KCBS) - A first of its kind evaluation shows that after four years of continuous health insurance coverage, kids in Santa Clara County are healthier.

Healthy Kids was designed to offer insurance for low and moderate income families, who were not eligible for public coverage because of income or immigration status.

"The question we examined in this latest study is can a child with Healthy Kids coverage look like a child on Medical or Healthy Families or even with private coverage, and the conclusion from this latest survey is yes," said Chris Trenholm with the nonpartisan research firm Mathematica.

The research was funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

San Jose resident Maricella Carrito's three children are covered through Healthy Kids, providing her with a sense of comfort and relief when her son faced emergency surgery.

"When I received a bill, it was almost $12,000 and from that amount I just have to pay a $5 co-payment," she explained.

Previously, her health care coverage costs were prohibitive.

"A third of my check was to cover my insurance," she said of her old coverage costs.

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