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Healthy San Francisco

Health care in the United States
Government Health Programs

Private health coverage

Health care reform law

State level reform
Municipal health coverage


Healthy San Francisco is a program launched in 2007 to subsidize medical care for uninsured residents of San Francisco, California. The program's stated objective is to bring universal health care to the city, and the program website states that insurance "is always a better choice." The program is open to city residents, ages 18 and up, whose incomes and net worth are low but who do not qualify for other public coverage, and who have had no insurance for at least 90 days. Eligibility is not conditional on citizenship, immigration, employment or health status. The program covers a range of services, but only pays providers within San Francisco.

In Mayor Gavin Newsom's first term, he worked to extend the city-funded health insurance program, started under Mayor Brown, to young adults, a program that had been previously offered only to children. Newsom's more ambitious plan on healthcare began to take shape in 2007. In his budget proposal for fiscal year 2007-2008, Newsom announced his intention to provide universal health care for all city residents, based on long-time City Supervisor Tom Ammiano's plan. The care would be provided through the San Francisco Health Access Plan also known as Healthy San Francisco. The system planned to use more electronic referrals and focus on preventive care. Newsom's proposal has prompted Oakland mayor Ron Dellums and San Mateo County's Board of Supervisors to look into possibilities for providing their own taxpayer-subsidized health care.

A legal challenge against the program which was filed by the Golden Gate Restaurant Association in 2006 was denied a hearing by the US Supreme Court on June 29, 2010, legally clearing the program for continued existence for the foreseeable future.


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