Access to Care named Provider of the Year
Provider of the Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 26, 2008
CONTACT: KATIE BARNICKEL
PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER
708-531-0680
www.accesstocare.org
Access to Care named Provider of the Year
The Campaign for Better Health Care named Access to Care as “Provider of the Year” for 2008.
The Campaign for Better Health Care recognizes the achievements of Access to Care. In honor of their 20 year history of providing primary health care services to over 90,000 low-income, uninsured residents of suburban Cook and Northwest Chicago.” This award was given on November 25th and is proudly displayed in the administrative offices of Access to Care.
Access to Care is a non-profit primary health care program for low-income, uninsured residents of suburban Cook County and northwest Chicago (north of North Ave. AND west of Pulaski Rd). Access to Care provides doctor visits for $5, lab and x-ray for $5 and prescription medications for $10 to $30.
Access to Care as of November first has been the delivery service of affordable primary health care services to over 96,000 people who otherwise would not have been able to afford such care. Each one of those 96,000 are people with individual stories. 96,000 is not just a number it represents people who need help to continue being productive members of society.
In order to be eligible for Access to Care, an individual must provide proof of address and proof of income. Eligibility guidelines are 1) live in suburban Cook County and 2) family income below 200% of the federal poverty level. The individual must have no health insurance (or a per-person deductible of $500 or more) and be ineligible for Medicaid or Medicare. There is an annual enrollment fee of $20 for one person, $40 for two people in the same family and $50 for three or more individuals in the same family.
Access to Care provides the opportunity for low-income, uninsured individuals and families to see a local primary care doctor in their private office for a $5 fee. Other services include: prescription medication for $10 (generic), $20 (preferred-brand name), or $30 (non-preferred brand name) and basic lab and x-ray services for $5. Patients develop a relationship with their Access to Care doctor and report increased peace of mind.
Enrollments are accepted at many local offices. An individual or family may register at many south suburban Township Offices as well as CEDA and Cook County Department of Public Health offices in the south suburban Cook County area. To determine eligibility and an office located near you call 708-531-0680 or visit www.accesstocare.org.
This program serves people who fall in the ever widening gap between eligibility for public insurance programs and those individuals who are privately insured. Many part-time employees, students, unemployed, low wage earners and individuals not offered health insurance by their employer are eligible for Access to Care.
Funded by both public and private sources, the program receives its primary source of funding from the Cook County Board of Commissioners and the State of Illinois. Townships and municipalities as well as private foundations, corporations, service organizations and individual donors also fund access to Care. The Access to Care physicians annually donate services conservatively estimated to have a value of $3 million.
For more information about The Access to Care Program call 708-531-0680 or visit www.accesstocare.org