Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Thursday, June 28, 2001
Release #230-01

Contact: Sunny Mindel/Matthew Higgins (212) 788-2958


MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES FIRST WINNERS OF
SCHOOL INCENTIVE PROGRAM

Mayor Awards Grants to Three Schools for Enrolling
Uninsured Children in Health Insurance as Part of HealthStat Initiative


Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today honored the first winners of the HealthStat School Incentive Program for their success in enrolling uninsured children in health insurance. Under the program announced earlier this year, any school that enrolls between 70 and 100 percent of uninsured students will receive cash awards. The three schools awarded grants today responded to the Mayor's challenge and were the first schools to reach the goal: PS 130 in Chinatown received $25,000, PS 86 in Jamaica, Queens received $25,000 and PS29 in College Point, Queens received $4,000. Schools are free to use these grants for any educational purpose.

Joining the Mayor to award the grants were Schools Chancellor Harold O. Levy; Deputy Mayor for Planning, Education and Cultural Affairs, Anthony P. Coles; Anne Heller, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Health Insurance Access; Dr. Neal L. Cohen, Commissioner of the Department of Health; Dr. Luis R. Marcos, President of Health and Hospitals Corporation; and the principals from each of the three schools, who were presented with checks.

"As a result of HealthStat and its many public and private partners, more than 115,000 previously uninsured children and adults now have health insurance," the Mayor said. "The School Incentive Program is an innovative way to build upon the dramatic gains HealthStat has achieved by enlisting schools in this important effort. It's also one of the few programs in the City that rewards schools with financial incentives based on their performance. I'm pleased so many schools have risen to the challenge and are actively engaged in enrolling as many uninsured children as possible. I look forward to awarding more grants in the coming months as even more schools hit their enrollment targets."

Schools Chancellor Harold O. Levy said, "A child who does not have health insurance is more likely to miss school and is less well prepared to succeed in the classroom. That's why we joined the Healthstat initiative last spring, to increase the number of New York City school children who are covered by health insurance. Working with the Mayor and his staff, we implemented an incentive program to improve these efforts citywide. I am so pleased to congratulate the three winners being honored here today. It is my hope that more schools will participate in this program and take advantage of the opportunity to further the health of our children."

"With the addition of the School Incentive Program this year, HealthStat is a truly comprehensive program. We are reaching out to the uninsured at home, at work, and at school," said Anne Heller, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Health Insurance Access, which is responsible for the HealthStat program.

The following grants were awarded today:

Each of these schools showed remarkable success in having all parents complete insurance surveys to identify children needing health coverage and in working with community partners to enroll these children. All three schools also expressed their intent to continue to enroll children in the future.

About HealthStat
HealthStat is the most ambitious effort in the country to enroll the uninsured in public health insurance programs. All City agencies are identifying uninsured New Yorkers and assisting them in enrolling in public health insurance programs. The majority of the more than 1.5 million low income, uninsured New Yorkers are eligible for Child Health Plus, Medicaid, or Family Health Plus. As a result of HealthStat, more than 115,000 adults and children have been enrolled in Medicaid and Child Health Plus.

Child Health Plus is a health insurance program that covers most of the medical and dental services that children need. Established by New York State and the federal government, Child Health Plus now serves children of working families and undocumented children. Later this year, Family Health Plus, which provides health insurance to some working adults who earn more than the Medicaid limits, is expected to become available and also will be a focus of HealthStat.

Schools that enroll 70 percent of uninsured children receive a $25,000 award, while schools that enroll 100 percent of uninsured children receive a $50,000 award (targets and awards are adjusted for very small and large schools).


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