Memorial Hermann Baptist Beaumont Hospital, Together with Beaumont ISD, Helps Kids Get Healthy and Stay Healthy with insure•a•kid

BEAUMONT – (July 27, 2006) – Memorial Hermann Baptist Beaumont Hospital is proud to partner with Beaumont ISD to continue the insure•a•kid Program.  insure•a•kid Program is designed to ensure that every child has insurance coverage, either through CHIP or Medicaid.  This program began in Beaumont ISD in the Fall of 2003 and has assisted more than 650 students with enrollment since it’s inception.  The public is invited to attend a reception celebrating this financial partnership on Wednesday, August 9th at 10:00am in the lobby of Memorial Hermann Baptist Beaumont Hospital. 

 The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation witnessed the power of school outreach when it created the insure•a•kid program in the Austin area in 1999.  The program was designed to improve the overall health of Central Texas children by enrolling them in health insurance through CHIP and Medicaid. Schools were one of the most effective communication channels for the program, which helped enroll 94 percent of eligible children in coverage through CHIP. 
 
 Studies have shown that a lack of preventive care makes uninsured children 25 percent more likely to miss school than children with insurance. Children who come to school sick are less prepared to learn, and an employed parent must often remain home to care for a sick child.  These are just a few benefits of the insure•a•kid program. 

 “Michael and I are committed to improving children’s access to health care so they can have a healthy future, and we are passionate about working with communities to solve problems and get results,” said Susan Dell.  “We are pleased to be working with organizations that share this passion, and look forward to the day when parents think of school as their first source for health insurance information.”
 
  “Memorial Hermann Baptist Beaumont Hospital is excited to be a part of such a worthwhile program,” said David Parmer, CEO.  “We look forward to this new opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children in our community.”

Since it’s creation in 1999, insure•a•kid outreach has helped enroll more than one million uninsured Texas children in low cost children’s health insurance.  With more than 1.3 million uninsured children in Texas, it is more important than ever that programs such as insure•a•kid assist families in attaining insurance. 

Currently, this program works through the nurse’s office in each school. The school nurses are trained in these programs to help the parents complete the necessary applications.  In addition, there are volunteer facilitators at each one of the 25 Title I schools in BISD.  These facilitators are people that have established some level of trust so that parents can feel comfortable.

“I am pleased that a local partner is stepping up to assist Beaumont ISD to continue their work to reduce the number of uninsured children,” says Kit Abney Spelce, insure•a•kid director and statewide grant manager.