Health Coverage Foundation

Among those who identify themselves as uninsured, the majority cite their primary reason for not having health insurance is that it is “too expensive". HCF does not intend to supplant the employee premium contribution required by most employer-sponsored plans because this would be unfair to co-workers who are able to afford these premiums. The key function of the Foundation would be to provide subsidies to low-income uninsured.

Another  approach for the Foundation to improve access to health care for the uninsured may include providing financial support for community health centers (and/or free clinics) and facilitating the creation of a group coverage plan with one or more private insurers.   From a coverage perspective, the Foundation anticipates the opportunity to establish a group coverage option (10 or more people) with private insurers to provide the level of health care coverage previously considered cost-prohibitive when purchased on an individual basis.  Community health centers (over 3,800 nationally), one of the primary access points for the uninsured for non-emergent care, have struggled recently to maintain federal funding sources to employ physicians in both urban and rural areas. The Foundation via financial support or collaboration with national medical groups could serve to bridge this gap in order to ensure these patients have access to quality health care services.

Among residents in the District of Columbia under age 65, roughly 74,000 people did not have health coverage in 2006. Of that figure, about 15,000 have family incomes that disqualify them from participating in public programs such as Medicaid. Our location in Washington DC provides us with the perfect testing ground for an initial demonstration of the Foundation’s objectives. Our first step would be to design a pilot that would combine our financial resources with the expertise of local organizations committed to improving coverage in inner city Washington. Collaboration with social and religious organizations will be crucial in identifying those people most in need of information and support for obtaining private coverage options. Outreach efforts would be undertaken in communities with a high uninsured population and limited access to information on obtaining private health coverage.