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Diamondbacks’ Batista kicks off campaign to give children healthcare

Like many working mothers, Corrina Dominguez’s full-time job pays just enough to keep her family afloat.

And like the parents of hundreds of thousands of Arizona children without health care coverage, the insurance provided by her employer is too costly for her.

Through KidsCare Arizona, the state’s version of the federal health insurance program for children, Dominguez is able to give her two young children access to medical attention and regular health checkups.

"If it weren’t for KidsCare, I would not be able to afford the necessary treatments for my children," says Dominguez.

Since the program started in 1998, the percentage of uninsured Arizona children has decreased from 25 percent to 15 percent. State and federal funding make it possible for KidsCare families to pay $10 to $35 each month for coverage.

But many who are unable to insure their children do not know about the low-cost, health-care program, which is available to even to a family of four earning up to $40,000 a year.

The Covering Kids & Families’ Back-to-School campaign aims to change that. This two-month national push to enroll uninsured children in Medicare programs was kicked off locally Aug. 9, at Chase Field with Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Miguel Batista as spokesman.

"As a parent, I believe that this is a very important problem. As a parent, I know the importance of having the peace of mind that your children have health insurance," he says.

Phoenix is one of eight cities targeted for the campaign, which is funded by the New Jersey-based Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest philanthropic foundation supporting improvements in healthcare.

Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton is a strong supporter of the cause and helped kick off the campaign.

"It’s a matter of getting the information out to parents. Kids who have quality health care stay in school, get good grades - all the positive things they need to succeed," he says.

More than half of the 250,000 uninsured Arizona children are eligible for KidsCare, says Carol Kamin, president and CEO of the Children’s Action Alliance, a children’s advocacy group and member of the campaign coalition.

With employers contributing less and few companies offering comprehensive insurance packages, insuring family members sometimes is very costly, if it is an option at all. This trend means that common problems like a broken arm, an ear infection or even needing eyeglasses can wipe a family out if the costs have to come from out of pocket, Kamin explains.

She also says a large number of these children are Hispanic. Children who are born in the United States are eligible for KidsCare, even if their parents are not documented.

"Sometimes the knowledge of how to get help is not there. There’s also that fear," she says, adding that whether mom or dad is here legally is not the primary concern.

"KidsCare allows working families to have good, quality health insurance for their kids. That’s our goal."

The campaign includes advertisements on English and Spanish television and radio, outreach activities throughout the Valley and events at Basha’s grocery stores where parents can enroll their children.

For information about KidsCare, visit www.coveringkidsandfamilies.org or call (877) KIDS-NOW.