Governor’s push to insure youths draws criticism

Tuesday, April 7, 1998 | 10:42 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Bob Miller's program to provide low-cost insurance for 45,000 children of the working poor was criticized Monday for failing to target those who really need the coverage.

"There's a lack of focus," said John Yacenda, executive director of the Great Basin Primary Care Association of Carson City. "It looks out of touch with the community."

Yacenda said he did not get an answer when he called the 800 number at night. A group of families in Clark County went to a Medicaid office in Las Vegas to pick up forms but there were none in Spanish. And only one of the 27 Indian reservations or colonies have received the notices.

Under Nevada Check-Up, the state puts up $16.4 million and the federal government $30.4 million to contract with managed care organizations to start insurance coverage July 1 for children up to 19 years old from low-income families.

For instance a family of four earning $28,000 to $32,000 annually would pay a $50 enrollment fee and $50 per quarter for a maximum of $200 a year. This would provide medical coverage and there would be an additional $5 fee for each drug prescription and $5 per visit to the dentist.

The state would pay a premium to the managed care organization of $1,050 a year for each child. Families would be given their choice of which managed care organization they want to join.

Yacenda's comments, made at a meeting of the Legislative Committee on Health Care, drew a quick reply from Charlotte Crawford, director of the state Department of Human Resources, who said this was not "a fair attack."

The state started distributing applications to school children two weeks ago and so far 400 applications have been received.

Crawford, whose staff has made getting Nevada Check-Up up and running their first priority, said this was only the first of a number of efforts to publicize the program and reach those families most in need.

Committee Chairman Sen. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, said he was sure the pace of the program born in the 1997 Legislature will pick up. If applications continue to come in at the current rate, there only will be 10,400 children enrolled at the end of the year when estimates showed that more than 45,000 would be covered.

Yacenda suggested the applications need to be out in the communities, rather than sitting in state offices. Committee members suggested they could be in churches, service stations, community centers and fast food restaurants. Another suggestion was to advertise the program on milk cartons.