Healthy Workers provides affordable health program for small businesses in Santa Clara County
SAN JOSE - The coalition that developed the first-ever universal children's health program - Working Partnerships USA (WPUSA), the Santa Clara Family Health Plan and the Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System announced the launch of Healthy Workers, a breakthrough that extends affordable, comprehensive, no-deductible coverage to small businesses and their employees in Santa Clara County.
Healthy Workers targets Santa Clara County small businesses with two to 50 employees, which do not currently provide health care coverage. Employees must live in the county to be eligible, work at least 20 hours per week and earn less than $18 an hour. Members will receive care from a network of public and private providers including Valley Medical Center, county and community clinics. The Santa Clara Family Health Plan, which administers Medi-Cal, Healthy Families and Healthy Kids and has nearly 120,000 members, will also manage and coordinate enrollment for Healthy Workers.
The cost of the Healthy Workers is roughly half the cost of other comparable health insurance plans that offer this level of benefit. Monthly premiums for employers are $150 per covered worker and employees contribute an additional $75. 
"While Congress debates health care, Santa Clara County is moving forward to provide medical coverage for our workers," said Assemblymember Jim Beall, who spearheaded the state enabling legislation for the program. "I encourage our small business employers to join the Healthy Workers plan. It's a good deal for their employees, and it's a good deal for their bottom line."
"Healthy Workers is another manifestation of our mission to provide access to health care for the people of Santa Clara who are least able to afford it," said Elizabeth Darrow, CEO of Santa Clara Family Health Plan. "We will continue to seek opportunities to offer affordable coverage, including Healthy Workers, which extend coverage to the uninsured of our county."
Previously, the coalition partners collaborated on development and implementation of the Children's Health Initiative, which enabled virtually every child in Santa Clara County to receive health coverage and has spread throughout most of California.
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved healthy Workers in 2007 under the leadership of Supervisor Liz Kniss.
Healthy Workers has already received significant support from the local small business community including formal endorsements from a dozen local chambers of commerce.