A program in Howard County, Md., providing low-cost health care for the uninsured is facing low enrollment numbers in its first seven months.

Peter L. Beilenson

Only about 200 people have signed up for the “Healthy Howard” program, the county’s health officer told the Baltimore Sun, falling short of his goal to sign up 2,000 members in the program’s first year of operations.

“Healthy Howard” was introduced last year to help legal uninsured residents gain access to a network of primary care doctors, hospitals, specialists and prescription drugs for a fee of between $50 and $80 per month. The program is not health insurance.

Dr. Peter L. Beilenson told the Sun that enrollment is not where he hoped it would be, but added another 250 applications, many representing families, were being processed. He added that his latest projection for the program would be 908 plan members by July 2010.

The low numbers may prompt a cut in funding for the program, which the county council is expected to vote on later this month.