California is slated to receive a massive influx of federal dollars to expand health insurance to children from poor families. But to take advantage of the money, the state will have to come of with some of its own. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has more.
California could get up to 600-million dollars to expand its Healthy Families program. To get that money, the state will have to come up with 300-million dollars.
If that happens, California could extend health coverage to some 200-thousand uninsured kids.
Ted Lempert directs the advocacy group Children Now . He says the state needs to find the money.
Ted Lempert: Otherwise, we're basically just letting that federal money go unused, or go to other states. And two, even in the midst of this budget morass, you know, we gotta make sure kids get health insurance, and we're talking about kids who are, you know, fully eligible.
Currently, nearly 900-thousand children are insured through the Healthy Families program.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
