Healthy San Francisco
In an effort to provide quality, affordable health care services to the uninsured, the state of California has developed a health care plan called Healthy San Francisco. This medical program is not considered health insurance, but a health services option for the San Francisco local uninsured.
Healthy San Francisco offers basic medical care for enrolled parties, including wellness check-ups, preventative services, sick or illness care, ongoing treatments for health issues such as asthma or diabetes and prescriptions. Enrolled parties in the Healthy San Francisco plan may not seek covered treatment with outside providers. Participants will receive an ID card to be used when seeking medical services.
The following services are provided:
- Preventative and Routine Care- Annual physicals, regular check-ups and other screenings designed to prevent illness.
- Specialty Care- Treatment provided by specialists for issues such as asthma, heart disease or diabetes. Referrals from your Medical Home are required for specialty care.
- Emergency Care- For emergency needs such as difficulty breathing, chest or stomach pains, uncontrolled breathing, severe vomiting and other issues, free or discounted emergency services may be available.
- Ambulance Services- Transportation provided only when the enrolled is experiencing a life-threatening emergency.
- Family Planning- Birth control, pregnancy testing or sexually transmitted diseases testing and treatment.
Other services offered include mental health care, alcohol and drug abuse care, hospital care, laboratory testing, prescriptions, and durable medical equipment. Health care services not included are acupuncture, allergy testing and injections, cosmetic procedures, long-term care needs, vision care, dental care, organ transplants, just to name a few. You can view a complete list of the services provided and not provided by the plan on the Health San Francisco website.
While portions of this plan may be free of charge, there are some charges that enrollees may incur. The participant fee is charged to enrollees on a sliding scale based on the household’s monthly income level. For those individuals who are assessed a participant fee, they will receive a bill on a quarterly basis. A point of services may also be charged at the time in which you receive medical services. For individuals who fall below a certain annual income level, neither fee may be assessed.
For affordable, quality health care in the San Francisco area for uninsured parties, Healthy San Francisco is a viable option worth consideration
San Francisco locals, you will not be eligible to receive medical care if you are outside the city of San Francisco. If you live in the city and travel frequently you may want to look into some other California health insurance options to cover you when you are away from home base. Please contact J.C. Lewis Insurance Services and learn of other affordable options to cover you while you are away from home! There is never a charge for our service and advice.
I pray that the health care plan backed by The House does not become law unless some revisions are made. A reform as big as this one requires as much attention as we can afford.