Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action (BOCA)
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Health Care

BOCA is working on gaining healthcare coverage for all children. We are very involved in the PICO campaign to Cover All Children and strongly support SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) in an effort to gain health care coverage for all children. We have successfully implemented a streamlined process for Berkeley's 800+ uninsured school children to enroll in affordable health insurance.
 
9 BOCA Members took and extensive course to become Certified Application Assistants in enrolling children and families in the Healthy Families and Medi-Cal Programs.
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After working for a year and a half, Express Lane Eligibility was implemented in the BUSD where 3,000-4,000 children are uninsured. Express Lane Eligibility is a process that allows children to apply for Medi-Cal at the same time they apply for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program.
 
There are many reasons parents don't enroll their children in these programs. They may be unaware of the programs, or believe they are not qualified. Other parents don't apply simply because the application process can be lengthy and difficult, especially for parents with limited English or Educational skills.
 
"Express Lane" eliminates the need for parents to fill out separate forms for health care and promises to increase rapidly the number of children with health coverage.
 
Last year 135 families from the BUSD were provided with Medi-Cal on a temporary basis.
 
BOCA has joined a coalition of health advocacy groups that has qualified an initiative to appear on the November 2006 ballot. Our goals are to win health coverage for all kids, prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit, and strengthen health care services in our communities.
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In April of last year BOCA sent two buses with 110 people to the PICO Town Hall Meeting in Sacramento. The purpose of this rally was to drum up support for the two healthcare bills in the legislature and to highlight the fact that there are over 1 million children without health insurance in the state of California. What came out of the meeting attended by over 4000 people was a promise by Belshe that she would attempt to make health insurance a priority and renewed energy and hope by the attendees to make our goal of getting ALL children health insurance a reality

BOCA