On behalf of Gov. Tom Ridge, three Cabinet members and the state s Physician General today launched an innovative statewide grassroots initiative to provide health- care coverage and quality health care to more Pennsylvania children. Pennsylvania has been a leader, not a follower, in developing programs that focus on families and communities, said Dr. Robert S. Muscalus, Physician General. This collaborative effort demonstrates our commitment that no child will be forgotten, and no child will be left behind. The grassroots campaign will encourage eligible families to access health services offered by the departments of Health, Insurance and Public Welfare.
Community organizations can apply for funds to enhance outreach efforts in their neighborhoods.
Under the leadership of Gov. Ridge, we joined forces to help eligible families overcome the barriers to enrolling their children in affordable health-care programs, said Feather O. Houstoun, Secretary of the Department of Public Welfare. Currently, Pennsylvania is in the top five states with the lowest rate of uninsured children under age 19. This grassroots initiative is an effort to reach the estimated 200,000 CHIP or Medicaid-eligible children who qualify for these programs but are not enrolled. To make it easier for families to apply for CHIP or Medicaid, the Commonwealth has redesigned the application so families do not need to calculate complicated formulas to determine their eligibility. CHIP and Medicaid share information to ensure that families get the benefits they need.