Frequently Asked Questions

photo of two children

What is Healthy Kids Sonoma County?

Healthy Kids Sonoma County is a new locally developed and funded program that will provide comprehensive health coverage for children of low income families in Sonoma County. Healthy Kids builds upon state sponsored programs (Medi-Cal and the Healthy Families program) to provide health insurance coverage to low-income families who cannot afford private health coverage.

What is the difference between Healthy Kids Sonoma County and the Healthy Kids health plan?

Healthy Kids Sonoma County is the program developed by our county's local Children's Health Initiative to expand health care access to uninsured children in our community. Some 20+ community organizations have formed this coalition. The goal of Healthy Kids Sonoma County is to get children enrolled in existing health plans like Medi-Cal and Healthy Families and in the newly created Healthy Kids health plan. The Healthy Kids plan is a new insurance product created to expand coverage beyond the state programs.

How does this benefit families?

The Healthy Kids program provides coverage for comprehensive health, dental, vision, and mental health services.

Who is eligible for Healthy Kids?

All children are eligible for Healthy Kids if they are:

How many children will be enrolled in Healthy Kids?

In Sonoma County, there are up to 8,000 children eligible. Healthy Kids Sonoma County will enroll approximately two-thirds of them in Medi-Cal and Healthy Families and provide health insurance coverage for the remaining one third.

Will families pay a share of costs?

Families will pay a share of costs, depending on their income level. The maximum that any one family would pay is $54 per quarter. There will be $5 co-payments for some medical, dental and vision services with a co-payment maximum of $250 per family per year for medical services. No co-payments are required for preventive or inpatient services.

How do families enroll their children?

Specially trained Certified Application Assistors (CAAs) are located throughout the county to provide application assistance at no charge. CAAs will be available to families at local health fairs, clinics, community centers, and schools.

How does the Healthy Kids program differ from the Healthy Families and Medi-Cal programs?

Healthy Kids extends health coverage to low-income children not eligible for Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs. First, Healthy Kids raises the income eligibility limit to 300% of the federal poverty level - ($58,500 for a family of four). Second, unlike the other public insurance programs, Healthy Kids does not consider immigration status when determining eligibility for enrollment. Finally, Medi-Cal and Healthy Families are publicly funded programs, whereas Healthy Kids funding comes from both public and private sources.

Who manages and administers Healthy Kids?

Healthy Kids is managed by the County of Sonoma, Department of Health Services. Healthy Kids maintains linkages to a network of both public and private medical providers and is supported by a professional staff with the expertise necessary to effectively manage the Healthy Kids Plan.

How much does the Healthy Kids program cost, and where does the funding come from?

At full implementation the Healthy Kids program costs $3.3 million annually for premiums, outreach, enrollment, marketing and management. Funding for Healthy Kids comes from a combination of public and private sources.

Are there other Healthy Kids Programs?

Yes, Sonoma County is one of many communities in California that has launched a Healthy Kids program. Santa Clara was the first county in the nation to start this program. Other counties such as San Mateo, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Alameda and Los Angles have well-established programs.