The following comes from a July 2 story on KPCC Radio in Los Angeles.

The  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday nearly $32 million in grants to help states sign up children for low-income health coverage.

In California, nine organizations, including the Los Angeles Unified School District, will together get roughly $6.2 million in grants ranging from $190,000 to slightly less than $1 million. The money is intended to help them identify and enroll children into Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program for the poor.

HHS officials say the funds will be used to target those children who are now eligible but not yet enrolled in the Medi-Cal program, as well as those who will become eligible for the expanded Medi-Cal coverage that will begin on Jan. 1, 2014.

Under the Affordable Care Act, California has agreed to expand its Medi-Cal coverage to an estimated 1.4 million  adults and children.

The top three HHS grants in the state went to Catholic Charities of California ($999,956), Family Health Centers of San Diego Inc. ($993,472) and the L.A. Unified School District ($974,929).

The other grantees are:

  • Alameda County Social Services Agency ($877,750)
  • Northeast Valley Health Corporation ($796,258)
  • Tides Center – California Coverage & Health Initiatives ($750,900)
  • United American Indian Involvement ($313,422)
  • Nevada County Superintendent of Schools ($284,465)
  • Lake County Tribal Health Consortium Inc. ($192,881)

HHS officials say the grants to school districts, community groups, and government agencies will  build on a four-year effort that’s increased the number of U.S. children with health insurance by 1.7 million youngsters nationwide.

To read original story, click here.