Have you heard of Healthy San Francisco? We want to hear if you think the program is working for the people who need it
Hi, I’m SF Weekly’s reporter Ida Mojadad, and I’m writing a series of stories about government programs that are supposed to make it easier for people in San Francisco to get the health care services they need— particularly Healthy SF. I’m teaming up with El Tecolote because we want to understand how this issue impacts the Latinx community.
As a San Francisco resident, you’re supposed to have access to health insurance. Healthy San Francisco was created in 2007 to serve people who couldn’t afford other health care programs. This came before the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, gave rise to Covered California and an expanded Medi-Cal program that offers you more services but still doesn’t apply to everyone who might need it.
If you’re one of the 13,000 people using Healthy SF, you’re probably Spanish-speaking and live in the Mission or Excelsior districts, and are between ages 25 and 44.
And there are probably a lot more of you out there who aren’t using it, but who could if they knew all their options offered by San Francisco and California.
We need your help to understand how well programs like Healthy SF are working — programs that were created to provide health care and services to all San Francisco residents.
Do you use Healthy San Francisco or have you ever used it? We’re particularly interested in why it’s your best — or only — option and how well it works for you or your family. If you don’t use Healthy SF but you struggle to get the health insurance and services you need, we also want to hear your story.
To share your experience or ask questions about the project, email HealthySFproject@gmail.com or call/text 415-295-6603 in either English or Spanish. Feel free to share the story and survey with friends and neighbors who might have some input.
Nothing you share will be used without your permission.
This reporting project is produced with support from the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2019 Data Fellowship. The Center’s engagement editor, Danielle Fox, contributed engagement support to this article.
