A Healthy Start for the Los Angeles Healthy Kids Program: Findings from the First Evaluation Case Study, Ian Hill, Brigette Courtot, Eriko Wada
Urban Institute (December 2005)

This first case study of the Los Angeles Healthy Kids program finds that the program is off to a very positive start. Researchers found that the program was thoughtfully planned, that effective community-based outreach and application assistance has fueled strong rates of enrollment, and that program benefits and services appear to be meeting the needs of enrolled children. These qualitative findings, synthesized based on interviews with a broad range of over 50 key informants, bode well for the roughly 45,000 vulnerable children who have signed up for the program's health insurance coverage.

What Do Parents Say About the Los Angeles Healthy Kids Program? Findings from the First Evaluation Focus Groups, Ian Hill, Brigette Courtot, Patricia Barreto, Eriko Wada, Enrique Castillo
Urban Institute (March 2006)

According to parents who participated in 12 focus groups across Los Angeles County, the Healthy Kids Program provides families with "peace of mind," "security," and "assurance.” Focus group participants also reported that the program’s enrollment and renewal processes were "easy," and that outreach workers who provide assistance with these processes are "very helpful." Parents also described things that were not working as well. Namely, they were often frustrated by long waits for appointments and at clinics, confused by what was and was not covered under the program and, in the case of parents of children with special health care needs, burdened by the cost of multiple copayments they incurred while obtaining services and prescription drugs for their children at high rates.

A Profile of Young Children in the Los Angeles Healthy Kids Program: Who Are They and What Are Their Experiences on the Program? Embry M. Howell, Lisa Dubay, Genevieve M. Kenney, Louise Palmer, Ian Hill, Moira Inkelas, Martha Kovac
Urban Institute (October 2006)

This report summarizes the findings from a survey of parents of Healthy Kids enrollees aged 1 to 5 in Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles Healthy Kids program was implemented in July 2003 and provides insurance coverage to low income, uninsured children, who are ineligible for Medi-Cal or Healthy Families. This report is one of a series evaluating the Healthy Kids program in L.A. and analyses the demographic characteristics of enrolled children, their health status, health care access and use experiences, parental impressions of the enrollment and renewal processes, among other topics. One year from now, a second survey report will provide results from the longitudinal follow-up with the same parents and will assess the impact of the Healthy Kids program in L.A.

Los Angeles Healthy Kids Improves Access to Care for Young Children: Early Results from the Healthy Kids Evaluation, Lisa Dubay, Embry M. Howell
Urban Institute (July 2006)

The Healthy Kids program in Los Angeles, California provides health insurance coverage to uninsured low-income children. This brief shows strong evidence that Healthy Kids program has improved access to medical and dental care for its enrollees. According to a survey of parents, young children enrolled in Healthy Kids for a year were much more likely to have a usual source of medical and dental care. Use of medical care increased with enrollment in the program. Enrollment also increased parents' confidence that they could obtain needed medical care for their children and reduced their financial burdens.

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