Health, Fitness & Medical

Boulder County, Colo. – The Colorado Health Foundation has awarded $371,470 to Boulder County to increase access to public health insurance for children and families.

The grant – to be paid over the next two years – benefits the Boulder County Healthy Kids initiative, a countywide effort to enroll pregnant women and eligible children and their families in Medicaid and the Child Health Plan Plus, and to connect those families to the appropriate care.

“The initiative, which was created in 2008, supports Boulder County’s commitment to improve access to affordable physical, mental and dental health care services for its most vulnerable residents,” project manager Christina Ostrom said. “Funding from the Colorado Health Foundation will provide streamlined access to families.”

Boulder County Healthy Kids will partner with the Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley school districts to increase access to health benefits by stationing an eligibility technician at each district. The tech will help screen and enroll students and their families in Medicaid and CHP Plus health coverage.

Please call the Healthy Kids hotline at 303-441-1589 for more information and eligibility standards, or to refer an uninsured child.

Medicaid is a no-cost health insurance plan for low-income Colorado children, pregnant women, parents with dependent children, and elderly or disabled populations. CHP Plus is low-cost health insurance for Colorado’s uninsured children and pregnant women without private health insurance but whose household income is too high to qualify for Medicaid.

The Colorado Health Foundation works to increase the number of Coloradans with health insurance, ensuring they have access to quality, coordinated care and encouraging healthy living. The foundation invests in communities through initiatives and grants to health-related nonprofit organizations, and by operating medical education programs to increase the health care workforce. Visit www.coloradohealth.org for more information.