Recently, one of our wonderful donors/supporters asked this question regarding our continued need to fundraise: “The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid don’t help?” It’s a great question. The ACA and Medicaid program absolutely make a difference in the lives of so many people. Coverage definitely makes it easier to gain the care our patients need, but it does not guarantee access. There is still much work that needs to be done. So why do we still need charitable support to keep services intact?
Doctors Care focuses on three types of patients:
- Those who are covered by Medicaid
- Those who are un-covered
- Those who may qualify for subsidized insurance on the online marketplace
All of our patients are medically vulnerable and low-income, which means even those with coverage find it does not fully cover the actual cost of care. This exposes patients to challenges that include access to the medical providers they need, and the financial resources to help cover their out of pocket medical costs. Stretched resources cause people to avoid the doctor, take less medication than is prescribed for positive results, or miss asking the right questions or sharing the type of information their providers need.
Additionally, many of our patients suffer from “social determinants” that can have negative impact on one’s health. These may include food insecurity, low health literacy, or inadequate housing to name a few. Doctors Care responds by offering an added layer of support – beyond providing medical care in our clinic. Our staff and volunteers support our patients with whatever assistance they may need: from connecting them to social service resources like SNAP, transportation assistance and childcare assistance; to help with understanding medical bills; to identifying referral specialists that accept their insurance.
Doctors Care is committed to wrapping our patients with the added care and resources they need to help live a healthy life. Thank you for your support.
