Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Wednesday, August 29, 2001
Release #300-01

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


MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES BACK-TO-SCHOOL CAMPAIGN
TO ENROLL CHILDREN IN HEALTH INSURANCE
AT STORES AND SCHOOLS CITYWIDE

Child Health Plus Enrollers to be Stationed at Stores Families Will be Visiting for
Back-to-School Shopping

Mayor Signs Executive Order Making Office of Health Insurance Access Permanent; 151,000 New Yorkers Enrolled in Health Insurance Through City's HealthStat Initiative


Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani announced today that as part of a back-to-school campaign to help uninsured children obtain health insurance, enrollers will be stationed at hundreds of stores and schools citywide. Every weekend through September 9, parents will be able to visit any of 32 Modell's, Sears and Cookie's locations and enroll their children in Child Health Plus, a government-funded health insurance program covering a wide range of services.

The Mayor also announced today that he has signed an Executive Order making the Mayor's Office of Health Insurance Access a permanent City office to ensure the continued success of the HealthStat initiative. HealthStat has enrolled more than 151,000 children in health insurance since the Mayor launched the initiative last year.

Joining the Mayor for the announcement were Anne Heller, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Health Insurance Access; Jason Turner, Commissioner of the Human Resources Administration; Richard Sheirer, Director of the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management; Mitchell Modell, President of Modell's Sporting Goods; Jack Falack, President and owner, Cookie's Department Store; and Cynthia Archer representing Sears Roebuck and Company. Also present were HealthStat partners, including representatives from Greater New York Hospital Association, Children's Defense Fund, Metro IAF and groups helping to enroll families in health insurance.

"HealthStat is the biggest and most ambitious program of its kind in the nation, and in just over a year, it has produced dramatic results," the Mayor said. "More than 151,000 previously uninsured children now have health insurance thanks to HealthStat and its many public and private partners. The back-to-school campaign is yet another example of how HealthStat is doing whatever it takes, and using unconventional means, to reach parents in many different settings."

The Mayor continued, "Today, I'm also pleased to announce that I have signed an Executive Order to make the Mayor's Office of Health Insurance Access a permanent City office. This will ensure that New York City continues to build upon the initial success of HealthStat in finding insurance for uninsured New Yorkers."

Anne Heller, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Health Insurance Access, said, "The back-to-school campaign will go a long way toward reaching HealthStat's goal of making sure every child has health insurance. We hope every New Yorker will include obtaining health insurance on their back-to-school checklist. "

Mitchell Modell, President of Modell's Sporting Goods, said, "Getting ready to send children back to school entails not only buying them the proper clothing and supplies but making sure they are properly insured. Modell's is pleased to provide the tools for obtaining health insurance at twenty-three of our New York Metropolitan locations."

Jack Falack, President and owner of Cookie's Department Stores, said, "We're pleased to take part in this wonderful endeavor to help fulfill the Mayor's goal of enrolling every uninsured child in health insurance. At Cookie's, not only do we want to make sure that children look neat and smart for school, we want to make sure they aIso have access to health insurance whenever they need it."

Cynthia Archers, Bronx Human Resources Manager for Sears, said, "This is a wonderful program and Sears is proud to play a part in ensuring that all children have adequate health insurance."

As part of the back-to-school initiative, enrollers from health plans and community-based organizations will be at 5 Cookies stores, 23 Modell's stores and 4 Sears locations every weekend through September 9 to assist families in enrolling their children in Child Health Plus. The stores are offering incentives for parents to enroll: Cookie's and Sears are raffling $100 gift certificates at each store for parents who complete applications and Modell's is giving 15 percent-off coupons to all parents who complete applications. In addition to HealthStat's extensive public awareness radio campaign, all participating stores are placing notices about Child Health Plus in customers' shopping bags.

In addition to reaching out to parents at shopping destinations, enrollers will be stationed at over 400 schools throughout the City during the first two days of school. School safety officers, principals and school nurses in all 1,100 schools will be distributing information about Child Health Plus. Enrollers will also be stationed at Department of Health immunization clinics. And for the first time, Emergency Home Contacts Cards will now include information about a child's health insurance status and enable parents to request information about Child Health Plus.

HealthStat is a coordinated citywide initiative to provide uninsured New Yorkers with health insurance. HealthStat mobilizes all City agencies to identify uninsured New Yorkers and assist them in enrolling in public health insurance programs. The majority of the more than 1.5 million low income New Yorkers who are uninsured are eligible for Child Health Plus, Medicaid or Family Health Plus. The success of HealthStat is reflected in the dramatic increase in the number of people enrolled in Child Health Plus last year. In 2000, total children's enrollment in Child Health Plus increased by 130,000 in New York City, while enrollment increased by approximately 30,000 in the rest of the state.

Child Health Plus is a health insurance program that covers regular medical check-ups, dental visits, eye exams and eye glasses, mental health services, prescription drugs, hospital care and other services. Child Health Plus serves children with family incomes of up to 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), or $35,400 per year for a family of three. Beginning in September, Family Health Plus, which provides health insurance to adults earning up to 150% of the FPL, is expected to become available and also will be a focus of HealthStat. Both Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus have substantially higher income eligibility levels than does Medicaid.

HealthStat operates an automated touch-tone phone line - 1-888-NYC-6116 -that pre-screens families for Medicaid, Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus eligibility and refers them to convenient community locations for enrollment. The phone line operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and counselors (English and Spanish speaking) are available Monday through Friday, 9AM to 8PM, to assist callers. Information can also be obtained through HealthStat's website, www.nyc.gov/healthstat.


www.nyc.gov