Howard officials now said they’re on track for enrolling about 2,000 residents in the first year of the Healthy Howard Access Plan, a first-of-its kind program in the nation to provide benefits for uninsured residents.
“We are getting people insured in every part of the county,” said Health Officer Dr. Peter Beilenson, who told the County Council at a meeting this week that 123 residents are either qualified or enrolled in the plan for January, almost double the amount reported just a week ago.
Beilenson this month announced a new strategy to more effectively reach those who are uninsured with a goal of signing up 150 to 200 a month.
Officials now are specifically targeting:
» Contracted and contingent employees who work for the county and don’t receive benefits;
» Other contracted employees from a database of employers;
» Subsidized housing residents;
» Howard Community College staff and students;
» Parents of children in the Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides insurance for children up to the age of 19 and pregnant women of any age who meet income guidelines.
Residents in subsidized housing, for example, have been responding after county officials personally delivered letters informing them of the health program, Beilenson said.
More than 20,000 adults do not have health insurance in Howard County, and about 12,000 could still qualify under Healthy Howard, Beilenson said. About 1,100 residents will receive insurance through existing programs but who didn’t qualify for Healthy Howard.
Some council members, like Greg Fox, are still skeptical about the county’s plan to target specific residents.
However, Beilenson deflected any criticism by saying council members should realize the benefit of having residents with insurance and not just those signed up for Healthy Howard.
“You should take pride that this county is doing something about this,” he said.
Liddy Garcia-Bunuel, director of Healthy Howard Inc., the nonprofit administering the Healthy Howard Access Plan, cautioned against a rush to judgment.
“This is a program that’s the first of it’s kind,” she said. “We are learning every month how to continue to move forward.”
Councilwoman Courtney Watson agreed that judgment should be reserved at this time.
“We need to keep moving this program forward until we see where we are after a year,” she said.
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