Two Georgia-based organizations will use over $1 million in funding donated by health care provider Kaiser Permanente to fund work focused on increasing access to care for underinsured and uninsured Georgians.
The Georgia Charitable Care Network received $350,000 and the Georgia Association for Primary Health Care received $700,000.
The Georgia Charitable Care Network, the state organization for providers of charitable care, plans to increase the capacity of at least 10 member clinics that serve many Georgians with chronic conditions. The network also hopes to increase the number of patients with two or more chronic diseases with help from this grant.
“Georgia’s free and charitable clinics are critical in providing care to the uninsured and underserved communities,” said Donna Looper, executive director of Georgia Charitable Care Network in a press release. She said it’s common for patients without insurance to have multiple health concerns. “This funding will support the clinics’ efforts to improve outcomes for these high-risk, vulnerable patients.”
Through their partnership with Kaiser Permanente, the Georgia Association for Primary Care will use their grant to bolster ongoing community health worker work with three FQHCs (federally qualified health centers) in rural areas outside of metro Atlanta.
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are health care organizations that see all patients regardless of insurance status. In the United States there are 1,403 funded by the Health Resources Service Administration, with 34 here in Georgia. They offer medical, dental and behavioral and mental health services to patients on a sliding fee scale basis, based on their ability to pay.
According to Kaiser Permanente, 14% of Georgians are uninsured, with many falling below 150% of the federal poverty line, which for a family of four would equal an annual household income of $45,000. Additionally, 3.3 million Georgians, a third of the state’s population, lives in an area with a primary care shortage.
“At Kaiser Permanente we are steadfast in our commitment to provide affordable health care services and improve the health of our communities,” Pam Shipley, president of Kaiser Permanente of Georgia, said in a press release.
“Charitable clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers help to provide access to quality, life-saving care for the uninsured and underinsured in our communities.”
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