I've heard that HMOs don't provide coverage for the poor and the uninsured, and don't participate in medical research?

We contribute to a wide range of community programs and activities across the nation. These efforts include:

• providing health coverage through our dues subsidy programs to those who otherwise could not afford it
• providing subsidies to help individuals and small employer groups afford health coverage
• contributing to medical knowledge and to the improvement of clinical care nationally through our clinical and health services research projects
• offering education and training programs for physicians, nurses, and other health professionals
• partnering with local governments to meet community needs
• providing grants, equipment, expertise, and volunteer hours to community organizations

Kaiser Permanente has established a national program for uninsured children. We devote a minimum of $30 million annually to subsidize health care coverage for uninsured and underinsured children, with a goal of helping 70,000 children each year.

Advancing medical knowledge through clinical and health services research is a key part of helping to improve the health of communities. Our community investments support research for important medical and social needs such as:

• preventing violence
• preventing infectious disease
• improving health care for adolescents
• improving health care for underserved populations

For nearly 50 years, Kaiser Permanente researchers have turned modest grants into major discoveries that have served our communities, influenced national policy, and affected medical practices throughout the nation and the world.