CARING FOUNDATION REMAINS `A GREAT BUY,' SAYS EXECUTIVE

The Caring Foundation for Children is "a great buy," Roy Heimburger, president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri told an estimated crowd of 200 to 300 people Monday night.

Heimburger spoke at a reception held at the Southeast Missourian newspaper offices in Cape Girardeau. Gary Rust, publisher of the newspaper, serves on the foundation's board of directors.

Those in attendance included doctors, social workers and business leaders.

The not-for-profit Caring Foundation was organized in 1987 by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri to provide primary health care for indigent children in Missouri.

It's estimated that between 300,000 and 400,000 Missouri children don't have any health care protection. Their families make too much money to qualify for welfare programs, but too little to afford private health insurance, Caring Foundation officials said.

The typical family served is one with a single mother and two children, with a family income of $12,000 a year and no benefits, said Lee Michelson, the foundation's executive director.

Heimburger said the program has proved successful. He estimated about 6,000 children have been helped by the foundation.

"Our target over the next three years is to have 10,000 children enrolled in this program," said Heimburger. "We can't do that unless we get significant contributions from the entire state of Missouri."

Over the past few years, the giant insurance company has contributed $600,000 to the program.

In any one year, the foundation serves more than 4,000 children under the age of 19, said Michelson. An estimated 1,000 children have been aided in Southeast Missouri alone.

As of August, 2,448 children were being aided by the foundation. The top 10 counties in terms of participation were: St. Charles, with 435 children; St. Louis city, 308; Dunklin, 253; St. Louis County, 231; Pemiscot, 97; Butler, 66; Mississippi, 58; Jefferson, 56; Stoddard, 54; and New Madrid, 45.

Michelson said the foundation pays out about $500,000 a year in claims. Blue Cross and Blue Shield pays half that cost, with the remainder coming from donations and other foundation revenue. The insurance company picks up all the administrative expenses, Michelson said.

Currently, 81 hospitals and more than 1,200 health providers participate in the program.