More than 150 Placer County children ” some of them local ” will be able to gain low-cost health insurance through a new program.

The county is the newest member in a children’s health initiative, which offers a health insurance program that will cover more than 100 children from 0-5 years old and 60 children from 6-18 years old, said Amy Kelley, Health Education Coordinator for the North Tahoe Family Resource Center in Kings Beach.

Placer County’s children’s initiative is supported by organizations from within the county, according to an online fact sheet from the Placer County government page.

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The Healthy Kids program will provide health, dental and vision coverage to uninsured children, whose family incomes are below 300 percent of the federal poverty level ” an income of $60,000 per year for a family of four.

According to a recent study by county and state organizations, 4,337 children in Placer County have no health insurance.

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The eligible local participants will be children likely from families made up of local workers not covered by an employer plan and who are not qualified for insurance through Medi-cal or the county’s Healthy Families program, Kelley said.

As a member of the children’s health initiative, the North Tahoe Family Resource Center will act as an administrator helping local family’s children through the application process, Kelley said. Healthy Kids is a publicly funded insurance plan.