KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Today, Public Health - Seattle & King County urged those with eligible children and teens to enroll in free and low-cost health insurance; the application process is quick and easy. There are approximately 12,000 children and teens in King County who are eligible to receive free health insurance but currently are not enrolled.

"Let's enroll all eligible children. By providing health care to children at a young age, we can prevent many diseases and lay the groundwork for healthy and productive lives," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County.

Today, Public Health's Health Care Access Team also launches its new health insurance pages with comprehensive information on various free and low-cost insurance plans for different groups: www.metrokc.gov/health/insurance

Fairs and summer events

Public Health's Health Care Access Team will be at the following summer activities, signing up people for health insurance:

July 13	1st Annual African American Community Health Fair & Basketball Camp, African American Academy Alternative School in Beacon Hill
July 13	Tukwila Days at the Tukwila Community Center
July 14	Hispanic Seafair at Seward Park
July 26-28	Central Area Festival at Garfield High School playfield in Seattle
Sept. 18, 19	Puyallup Fair

Get support during times of change

The State of Washington has stopped providing "state-only" medical insurance for some non-citizens, like certain immigrants who have been in the United States less than five years. In the past, Washington State covered these people with the same medical benefits as the Federal Medicaid program. The state plans to end its "state-only" medical coverage on October 1, 2002, and encourage these people to enroll in the Basic Health Plan. Public Health can assist King County residents in this transition.

Public Health's Health Care Access Team has application and outreach workers that help families sign up for various insurance plans, like Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program and Basic Health Plan. To get help signing up for insurance from an outreach or application worker, please call 206-296-4600 and find the Public Health Center nearest you.

Application and outreach workers can help people by phone or in person, and they can travel to meet with families in their homes or at community sites. Outreach and application workers speak a variety of languages (Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean and others).