February 17, 2010
The
Portland Observer Black History Month
Page 9
Kids Health Plan Open to Everyone
Over 30 000
Health Plan for children in families Kids. The goal is to enroll 80,000
with incomes up to 200 percent of children by the end of this year.
parents of these children
^ “ X S ' ^ ' ^ 44'100 now “The
feel more secure knowing that
All Oregon children
Low-Cost: The their children will get the health
now have access to high-
program offers a care they need, when they need
quality, comprehensive
cost-share mode, to
health care under the
assist
O regon’s
state’s Healthy Kids plan,
middle-class families
realizing one of Gov. Ted
earning between 200
Kulongoski’s top priori­
-300 percent of the
ties since taking office.
federal poverty level
The Oregon Depart­
(between $44,100
ment of Human Services
$66,000 a year for a
began providing coverage
family offour). These
to families under Healthy
families earn too
KidsConnect last week, __________ __
much to qualify for
the final phase of Healthy Ted Kulongoski
the Oregon Health
Kids.
Plan, but too little to
“This is a proud day in Oregon’s purchase private insurance on their
history, said Kulongoski. Now, own. On a sliding scale, these fami-
after years of work - and multiple lies share the cost with the state or
efforts - we can proudly stand and can receive a subsidy to help pay for
say, that together, we have accom- their child’s coverage through an
plished this very important goal for employer-sponsored insurance
Oregon’s children.”
plan.
Healthy Kids provides access to
Full Cost: For children in families
health care in three ways: 1) No-cost with incomes above 300 percent of
option through the Oregon Health the federal poverty level (or $66,000
Plan, 2) Low-cost options through for a family of four), the program
cost-share models; and 3) Full-cost provides access to a new state-spon-
options through newly-created sored private insurance plans col-
state-sponsored private insurance lectively
called
Healthy
plans — depending on family in- KidsConnect. These families pay
come-
the full premium.
No Cost: The plan provides free
To date, the state has enrolled
coverage through the Oregon more than 30,000 children in Healthy
’
already enrolled
it,” Kulongoski said. “But we are
just getting started. We can't stop
until we have finished the job and
reached our goal of enrolling
80,000 children by the end of the
year. The health of our children
and the future of our state depend
on our success.”
Parents can learn more about
Healthy Kids and apply online at
oregonhealthykids.gov or by call­
ing 1-877-314-5678.
BANK t SF e WEST
Remember
Celebrate
Persevere
Bank of the West is proud
Shave off Salt for Health
Shaving 3 grams off the daily
salt intake of Americans could
prevent up to 66,000 strokes,
99,000 heart attacks and 92,000
deaths, while saving $24 billion in
health costs per year, researchers
report.
The benefit would be compa­
rable to cutting smoking by 50
percent, significantly lowering
obesity rates and giving choles­
terol drugs to virtually everyone
to prevent heart attacks, said Dr.
Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo of the
University of California, San Fran­
cisco and colleagues.
¡S u b s c rib e
\JUSt ib OU p e r y e a r
Such a goal, they said, is readily
attainable.
Salt, which contributes to high
blood pressure and heart disease,
is widely overused in the United
States, with 75 to 80 percent com­
ing from processed food. Men
typically consume 10.4 grams per
day. For women, the average is 7.3
grams. Its use is rising.
A reduction of 1 gram would
prevent 11,000 to 23,000 strokes,
18,000 to 35,000 heart attacks and
15,000 to 32,000 deaths from any
cause, the researchers reported in
New England Journal of Medicine.
to honor the legacy of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
5 ? 3 ; 2 8 8 - 0,0 3 3 „
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