This survey of enrollees in Healthy San Francisco (HSF), the city’s health care access program for the uninsured, reports high rates of satisfaction and signs that the program has improved access to care for those uninsured residents who have enrolled.

In 2006, San Francisco created a unique health access program to provide access to affordable basic and ongoing health care services for its uninsured residents at participating clinics and hospitals.  All uninsured city residents not eligible for other public coverage programs are eligible to enroll.  As of August 2009, more than 45,000 people had enrolled in the program.  

The report is based on a March 2009 independent survey conducted by Kaiser Family Foundation researchers to gauge the opinions and experiences of HSF’s first wave of participants, the vast majority of whom have incomes below the federal poverty line.  Participants report high levels of satisfaction (94% are at least somewhat satisfied with the program) and endorsement of HSF (92% would recommend to a friend and the same share think other cities should create similar programs). 

New Release

Survey (.pdf)