ADVISORY/Health and Social Services, Business and Education Leaders Join Forces to Help Children Stay Healthy, Keep Learning in San Diego.

City Desks/Assignment Editors

ADVISORY...for Thursday (Dec. 12)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Launch Readied for Local Express Lane Eligibility Pilot Programs

as New Study Proves Link Between Health Care and Learning

WHAT:       Robert K. Ross, M.D., president and CEO of The California
            Endowment and former director of the Health and Human
            Services Agency for the County of San Diego, will announce
            the launch of an Express Lane Eligibility (ELE) pilot
            program in San Diego and meet with fifth grade students at
            Jefferson Elementary School to discuss ways to stay
            healthy and keep learning. Also on hand will be Dawn
            Horner, Associate Director of The Children's Partnership,
            to discuss the Coalition for Healthy Learning, a newly
            formed group of health and social services, business and
            education leaders dedicated to ensuring the funding and
            implementation of Express Lane Eligibility pilot programs
            statewide. In addition, Superintendent for San Diego City
            Schools Alan D. Bersin will discuss the health-learning
            link and how ELE has the potential to positively impact a
            child's school performance.

            ELE makes it easier for low-income children who are
            enrolled in the school lunch program to get health
            coverage through California's Medi-Cal or Healthy
            Families programs. The program is unique because it
            targets families when enrolling their children in the
            school lunch program -- the exact point where they are
            most receptive to information about health insurance
            benefits for which their children may qualify. ELE was
            enacted by the state legislature last fall and Governor
            Gray Davis approved a July 2003 implementation date in
            the final 2002-2003 state budget.

WHEN:       9:30 a.m., Thursday, December 12, 2002

WHERE:      Jefferson Elementary School
            3770 Utah Street
            San Diego, CA  92104
            Thomas Guide p. 1269-D5

            Reserved parking available behind school on playground --
            one block east of Utah on 28th Street

WHO:        Robert K. Ross, M. D., President and CEO, The California
            Endowment; Senator Dede Alpert; Alan D. Bersin,
            Superintendent, San Diego City Schools; Dawn Horner,
            Associate Director, The Children's Partnership; Greg Cox,
            San Diego County Supervisor; Joan Zinser, Deputy Director,
            San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency

            All speakers will be available for interviews following
            the press conference

BACKGROUND: Nearly one million children ages 18 and under in
            California do not have health insurance, according to the
            UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. According to the
            Urban Institute, nearly 700,000 uninsured, low-income
            children in California are already enrolled in the school
            lunch program. Since the income rules for school lunch and
            the health programs are similar, many of these children
            are potentially eligible for Medi-Cal or Healthy Families,
            making school lunch an excellent vehicle to easily sign up
            children for health insurance through an Express Lane
            Eligibility program.

            According to a recent study by the University of
            California, San Diego and Children's Hospital, San Diego,
            enrollment in health insurance programs has been shown to
            increase student performance. Next summer, California will
            implement ELE to help low-income children get the
            insurance they need, and in turn, help reach their full
            academic potential. The planning for ELE pilot programs is
            being announced to help school districts get ready for
            implementation next summer, a few months before the start
            of the next school year.