Indigent Health Care Program Partnership with Hope Clinic

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2009

The difficult task of providing basic medical care to the poor and uninsured faces every community in the nation. Ignoring the issue or underestimating its impact on all citizens, regardless of financial status, results in extremely costly consequences. The use of emergency rooms by the uninsured for primary care drives up the cost of care for everyone and threatens the survival of many rural hospitals. Ellis County, with a population of approximately 160,000, sought more efficient and effective methods to support health care to the indigent. The County took a portion of its designated indigent health care funds and contracted with Hope Clinic, a non-profit faith-based organization, to provide primary care, pharmaceuticals, and case management for qualified clients. Through this service contract, they have provided access to better health care for indigent clients as well access to health care for a large segment of the population not qualified for the indigent program. They have significantly reduced reliance on emergency rooms for non-emergency health needs and have decreased the burden of uncompensated care on other providers, while at the same time guarding taxpayer resources.