For Immediate Release
Date: August 18, 2007

Contact: Kandis R. Fuller, APR
Phone Number: 716-857-4410

Univera Community Health Offers Free Eligibility Screenings

As support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s national Covering Kids and Families Back-to-School Campaign, Univera Community Health is offering free eligibility screenings for uninsured individuals who need help finding a health insurance plan that is right for them.

Univera Community Health’s facilitated enrollers will be at Western New York locations during the week of Aug. 20th, helping people determine if they are eligible for government-sponsored health insurance programs such as Family Health Plus and Child Health Plus.

Facilitated enrollers, after evaluating individuals' eligibility, can also help people complete the necessary paperwork to enroll in these programs. In most cases, appointments are not needed.

About 400,000 children in New York State are uninsured, and two-thirds of them are eligible for Child Health Plus, according to a 2007 report by Families USA.

“We want to reach families who are unaware that they qualify for these low-or no-cost health plans,” said Kelli Lasher, director of state and federal programs for Univera Community Health. “Connecting these children and families to health insurance is very important, especially since uninsured people are more likely to skip needed medical care.”

Univera Community Health outreach efforts during the week of Aug. 20th are part of a year-round effort to reach this population.

Univera Community Health facilitated enrollers will be available at the following locations and times:

Univera Healthcare corporate offices
205 Park Club Lane, Williamsville
Monday-Friday (Aug.20-24), 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

William E. Mosher Health Center
899 Main St, Buffalo
Monday, Tuesday, Friday (Aug. 20, 21, 24), 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Community Action Organization (various locations)
Edward Saunders site
2777 Bailey Ave. Buffalo   
Tuesday (Aug. 21) 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Wednesday (Aug. 22) 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
           
JFK Center
114 Hickory Street, Buffalo
Thursday (Aug. 23) 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Pratt Willert            
422 Pratt St., Buffalo
Friday (Aug. 24) 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Father Belle Center
104 Marilyn Ave., Buffalo
Wednesday (Aug. 22) 9 a.m. – Noon by appointment only

Jefferson Avenue Medical Office
1490 Jefferson Ave., Buffalo
Thursday (Aug. 23) 10 a.m. – Noon by appointment only

Cattaraugus County - Healthy Community Alliance
26 Jamestown St, Gowanda, NY
Monday (Aug. 20) 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Allegany County - Friendship House
3 ½ Maple Ave., Friendship, NY
Tuesday (Aug. 21) 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Allegany County - Belfast United Methodist Church
2 Chapel St., Belfast, NY
Wednesday (Aug. 22) 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Cattaraugus County - Parent Education Program (Healthy Families)
234 North Union St., Olean, NY
Thursday (Aug. 23) 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Chautauqua County - Jamestown Library
509 Cherry Street, Jamestown, NY
Friday (Aug. 24) 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

For additional times, people should call Univera Community Health at 716-504-0560 or toll free at 1-800-494-2215 to schedule an appointment.

Covering Kids and Families is a national initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that focuses on reducing the number of eligible, but uninsured children and adults through enrollment in Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The Back-to-School campaign will run through the end of September and include national events and activities. For more information, go to http://www.coveringkidsandfamilies.org .

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Univera Community Health is a nonprofit company that provides health insurance to the uninsured, is regulated by New York and is a partnership of Univera Healthcare, the Erie County Medical Center, and Kaleida Health.