Uninsured children receive emergent care thanks to ECHO Program

The Every Child’s Healthy Option (ECHO) Program provides emergent care to uninsured children from several school districts within the San Gabriel Valley including Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bassett, Bonita, Charter Oak, Hacienda La Puente, Rowland, Walnut, and West Covina. Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Medical Center is among the hospitals participating in this partnership. ECHO is in its 24th year of operation and serves over 325 uninsured/underinsured children and families in the East San Gabriel Valley annually.

“The communities in the San Gabriel Valley are very diverse and ECHO strives to help families overcome any healthcare barriers as well as any stigma and cultural barriers relating to healthcare,” explains Maribel Del Muro, Health Assistant/ECHO Coordinator. “ECHO is not only a safety net for uninsured children in need of urgent care but it provides access to preventive care by enrolling families into a healthcare program.”

Uninsured children receive care from a variety of departments at the Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Medical Center including Pediatrics, Emergency Department, Vision Essentials, Pharmacy, Laboratory, Diagnostic Imaging, and Head and Neck. Additionally, children receive any necessary medication. Same day appointment access allows students to get back to the classroom the next day for uninterrupted instruction. Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park provides coverage for 30 days, which allows the child to attend any necessary follow up appointments while giving the parent or guardian time to meet with the ECHO coordinator to obtain health coverage.

“Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Medical Center not only provides no-cost care for the K-12 uninsured population but they do it with respect and kindness. When we follow up with families, they have nothing but great things to say about the care and attentiveness they received,” adds Del Muro.

“We are proud to be part of this important partnership that enables local uninsured children to receive immediate care when needed,” says Maggie Pierce, Senior Vice President & Area Manager, Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park.