Changes to the Access to Care Program
The Access to Care program thanks all of its participating physicians for their generosity and willingness to give back to the community in which they practice. As you all know, there is a fiscal crisis in the State of Illinois. As a result of this situation, Access to Care was not included in the 2010 State budget.
Access to Care's budget for 2010 is cut by $3 million. This huge loss of funding is difficult to replace. The Board and staff are working very hard to identify new funding sources. Until new funding becomes available, the program must cut costs. Currently, the program has a long waiting list for new patients. All applications since April 1, 2009 are on the waiting list.
In a major effort to curtail costs in order to take people off the waiting list, the Health Affairs Committee of Access to Care is conducting a thorough review of covered procedures and medications. The Committee is staffed by physicians and clinicians. They are going to examine closely what procedures and prescriptions should and should not be covered by Access to Care. As a charitable program, it is necessary to ensure that primary health care services are covered in the most economically responsible way possible.
It is anticipated that the changes to coverage will become effective January 1, 2010. It may be necessary to refer female patients to the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer program for mammograms and pap smears. To learn more about this program visit www.cancerscreening.illinois.gov. Women may be eligible if they meet the following criteria: Living in Illinois, Without insurance, 35 to 64 years old. (younger women may be eligible in some cases).
The Health Affairs Committee is working diligently to arrive at acceptable primary care coverage for all Access to Care patients. Information about the upcoming changes will be mailed to all participating physicians as soon as possible.
Again, thank you for participating. Your understanding of the current fiscal situation is very much appreciated. It is the goal of Access to Care to continue to "fill the gap for the uninsured."

Access to Care Physicians and the Media
Thank you to Access to Care participating physicians who have generously offered to speak with media representatives about Access to Care. Participating physicians have related their thoughts about Access to Care and its impact on patients' lives.
The program is also grateful to those physicians who have referred people to Access to Care. We are always looking for ways to inform the public of our services.
Having an Access to Care patient and physician speaking about the program helps the public to understand the problems uninsured people face.
If you or a member of your staff would be willing to speak with media representatives, please call Kate Barnickel at the Access to Care administrative office, 708-531-0680 x 26.
Media coverage not only informs people who may need the services of Access to Care, but can also help to secure new funding sources.
Without your help and dedication, Access to Care could not exist. The contributions of physicians to Access to Care has been conservatively estimated to be worth $2.5 million.

Access to Care Web Site
Access to Care is pleased to direct you to the program's web site. The address is www.accesstocare.org and it is now a place to go for information about the Access to Care program.
If you or your staff has any question about what is covered under the program, you can find most answers on the web site. All forms necessary for patient care are available by clicking on the "For Doctors" link.
There you will find the physician manual, covered procedures, prescription formularies and the referral form for specialty services at Stroger or Oak Forest Hospitals.
If you have a patient who has lost his/her insurance coverage tell them about Access to Care and the patient can print an application form with instructions from the web site.
You will also be able to see the information that all Access to Care patients receive. All patients receive information about RXOutreach, covered procedures and covered prescription medications. The web site also has links to other public health programs such as All Kids and FamilyCare.
The Access to Care web site also provides links to Access Dupage and the Gilead Center which is a referral source for uninsured Chicago area residents.
If any of your colleagues wish to become a participating provider in Access to Care, they can simply send an email by clicking on the link for physicians on the Contact Us page.
The new web page also provides a safe, secure way for people to make donations and register for events.
The " What's New" section will feature new information about the program as needed.
On behalf of the program's patients, we thank you for your participation in Access to Care.