Cincinnati coverage pilot attracting strong interest from employers

In the first few days since a new pilot program to provide health coverage for the working poor in Cincinnati began accepting application from local employers, 30 companies have requested entry (Source: “CincyCare health plan filling up quickly,” Business Courier of Cincinnati, Dec. 1, 2008).

CincyCare, created in October with a $1.2 million grant from the Cincinnati City Council, is a two-year program designed to provide primary care, an annual health assessment and limited prescription benefits to 2,000 employees of Cincinnati-based businesses who are not eligible for other government-sponsored or employee-sponsored programs. Organizers of the program say companies that have signed up so far could fill more than 665 of the available slots in the program.

 “Phenomenal,” Councilman John Cranley said of the response. “We didn’t know if people were going to sign up or not.”