Metro Atlanta Workforce Areas

Kaiser Permanente Bridge Program

The City of Atlanta, Cobb County, DeKalb County, Fulton County, and Atlanta Regional
workforce areas are working with Kaiser Permanente to help a limited number of income
eligible individuals looking for work or training for a new job secure low-cost health
insurance. Kaiser Permanente is offering the insurance through the Kaiser Permanente
Bridge Program, an initiative to help address the needs of individuals who have no other
access to medical coverage. The Bridge Program is designed for individuals and families
who are not eligible for Medicaid, Medicare, PeachCare, or COBRA, who are facing
short-term problems – such as unemployment.

Customers must live in the Kaiser Permanente 20 county service area, and meet
additional income and asset eligibility requirements in order to apply for the Kaiser
Permanente Bridge Program. Kaiser Permanente makes the final determination regarding
eligibility, and since slots are limited, there is no guarantee that everyone seeking
services will receive services. Coverage is restricted to two years; however, program
members have the option of continuing their coverage after the two years by paying the
non-subsidized premiums. In 2004, over 600 individuals became members of the Kaiser
Permanente Bridge Program. Some workforce areas have already reached their capacity
for new members for 2005, and are no longer able to accept new applications for the
Kaiser Permanente Bridge Program.

Career advisors at One-Stops in the five workforce areas help identify customers who are
eligible for the Bridge Program. Potential customers can also be identified by a number
of participating government and Community Based Organizations, including Georgia
State and Kennesaw State University, Clayton College and State University, Jewish
Family Services, the Atlanta Housing Authority, the DeKalb County Health Department,
and others. All together, there are 16 agencies participating in the Bridge Program, most
with multiple locations for customers to access services.

The monthly premium in the Bridge Program is a fraction of what the health insurance
would normally cost. For example, the cost for a single individual may be as low as
$11.05 per month. Kaiser Permanente subsidizes the difference as a community service.

The Kaiser Permanente Bridge Program is just one of the community benefit programs
Kaiser operates designed to help improve the health and well being of the communities in
which they operate.

For additional information, please contact one of the following

metro Atlanta workforce areas:

City of Atlanta 404-658-WORK (9675)

CobbWorks! 770-528-4300

DeKalb Works! 404-687-3400

Fulton County 404-730-4751

Atlanta Regional 404-463-3327, or 1-800-516-5872

February 23, 2005