Citrus Valley Health Partners to Hold Event in Observance of National Cover the Uninsured Week

In observance of National Cover the Uninsured Week, Citrus Valley Health Partners would like to remind community members about this highly prevalent problem in the East San Gabriel Valley, which has been made even worse by the recent economic downturn.

According to a California Health Interview Survey, approximately 7.1 percent of San Gabriel Valley residents were uninsured at some point in 2007. Statewide, about 6.4 million people under the age of 65 were uninsured during that year.

Having a large uninsured population has far-reaching effects on society. Instead of being able to schedule routine visits with their physician, those without insurance often are forced to wait until an illness progresses and they must visit an emergency department. This results in longer wait times for patients with more serious problems and increased costs for taxpayers and hospitals.

The Get Enrollment Moving (GEM) Project at Citrus Valley Health Partners is an invaluable tool for uninsured residents in the San Gabriel Valley. Since July 2002, nearly 60,000 children and their families have been enrolled in or connected with free or low-cost health care services through GEM. These options include Medi-Cal, Healthy Families and other available programs. In fact, over the past three months, GEM has seen an estimated 30 percent increase in the number of residents the project has helped compared to the same period of time in 2008.

“It is critical that we connect with marginalized communities who do not have access to information and health care,” said Maria Peacock, director of the GEM Project. “Access to preventive health care services is definitely the best investment for a healthy, productive community.”

Families must meet certain criteria to qualify for GEM assistance, and cost varies depending on income, number of children and other factors. Funding for GEM is provided by CVHP, a Los Angeles County grant, The California Endowment and other agencies.

To further their commitment to insuring the uninsured, GEM and the La Puente Family Resource Center will hold an El Día de los Niños (The Day of the Child) Resource Fair from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 25. The event will be held at the La Puente Family Resource Center, 17800 E. Renault St. in La Puente. For more information, please call (626) 814-2405.

Citrus Valley Health Partners is comprised of Citrus Valley Medical Center – Inter-Community Campus in Covina, Citrus Valley Medical Center – Queen of the Valley Campus in West Covina, Foothill Presbyterian Hospital in Glendora and Citrus Valley Hospice in West Covina.