The Health Consumer Alliance (HCA) Data on Children Access to Oral Health in 13 California Counties “Securing Health Rights for Those in Need”

HCA, An Innovative Partnership The HCA mission is to help low-income Californians obtain essential health care. Nine community-based health consumer centers, the National Health Law Program and Western Center on Law and Poverty. HCA provides service in thirteen California counties Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, and Yolo, San Diego, San Francisco and Alameda, and San Mateo.

HCA Quantifies Consumer Problems HCA assists 3/5 of all low-income Californians and provides quantified information on the barriers they face obtaining health care.

Health Law Database HCA gathers and stores information about all the clients it helps and the problems they face. The data is compiled on a statewide basis and analyzed. The analysis of this data is utilized in advocacy, policy reports, media stories, with the potential of helping solve not only one client's problem, but systemic issues.

In addition to demographics, health program coverage, and other relevant information, we collect information on the type of problems consumers report and the health service they need. We divide problems into: E LIGIBILITY P ROBLEMS : problems a health consumer has getting health coverage S ERVICE P ROBLEMS : problems a health consumer has getting health services HCA Data Collection: Eligibility, Service Problems, and Service Needed

Service Problems and Services Needed by Consumers, Captured by HCA SERVICE PROBLEMS INCLUDE: Billing/charges to or payments from consumer Care unaffordable Care unavailable/inaccessible Delayed –Services/referral/appt Denied –Services/referral/appt SERVICES NEEDED : Ambulance Dental/orthodontic Emergency care Hospital care Laboratory Preventive visit

Top five programs under which consumers with the service needed "Dental/orthodontic“ were covered Consumers aged 0 to 21 in cases closed between 1/1/2006 and 12/31/2007

Top five health programs under which the service needed was "Dental/orthodontic" Consumers aged 0 to 21 in cases closed between 1/1/2006 and 12/31/2007

Top five service problems with the service needed "Dental/orthodontic" Consumers aged 0 to 21 in cases closed between 1/1/2006 and 12/31/2007

Top five entries for who caused the problem for service needed "Dental/orthodontic" Consumers aged 0 to 21 in cases closed between 1/1/2006 and 12/31/2007

Top five service problems within the top five programs where the service needed was "Dental/orthodontic" Consumers aged 0 to 21 in cases closed between 1/1/2006 and 12/31/2007

HCA, An Innovative Partnership Kim Lewis Western Center on Law and Poverty