Capital Medical Society Foundations celebrates 30th anniversary of We Care Network
The Capital Medical Society Foundation, Inc. is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its We Care Network program. The We Care Network is a safety net program for adults in need of specialty medical or dental care and do not have health insurance.
Most We Care Network patients are employed, but they do not have health insurance through their employer. They do not make a lot of money, so they are low-income. The deductibles for low-premium Affordable Care Act coverage just do not make sense for all low-income individuals. It comes down to a decision about paying rent, buying food, and keeping the lights on.
“In 1992, a group of physicians from the Capital Medical Society felt very strongly that it was important for patients without health insurance in this community to have the same experience as those with insurance. Therefore, we started the program, so adults without insurance could enter the program and have an experience in a physician’s office like any paying patient,” shares Dr. John P. Mahoney, Capital Medical Society Foundation President.
The program, established in 1992, has coordinated over $124 million in donated specialty medical and dental healthcare for low-income, uninsured adults in Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson, and Wakulla counties.
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“I am just so proud of this program, because it is a physician-driven initiative. Physicians are the ones who saw the need and said, if we are going to donate care, let’s do it in an organized fashion. Physician volunteerism is the program's lifeblood,” says Pam Irwin, Capital Medical Society Foundation Executive Director.
The Capital Medical Society is an association for physicians in the four-county area. Three hundred of Capital Medical Society's members donate healthcare through the program. Other members are referring primary care physicians.
Physicians and dentists hoping to improve health outcomes and the quality of life for at-risk adults appreciate the We Care Network for distributing charity care equitably among their colleagues and simplifying the screening and referral process.
Eligible patients must have income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level and have no other resources to pay for the needed healthcare.
Through a case management team of six, the We Care Network partners with referring primary care providers from Bond Community Health Center, Care Point Health & Wellness Center, Gadsden County Health Department, Jefferson County Health Department, Jessie Furlow Medical Center, Madison Medical Center, Neighborhood Medical Center, North Florida Medical Centers, the TMH Family Medicine Residency Program, Wakulla County Health Department, and Wakulla Medical Center to identify at-risk, uninsured, adult patients in need of specialty healthcare.
The team collaborates with volunteer physicians, dentists, donating hospitals, and ancillary providers to deliver donated care. Last year, the We Care Network received 2,908 requests for specialty medical or dental providers. The need is great.
“Physician volunteerism is not the answer to uninsured healthcare,” says Dr. Jim Stockwell, the local We Care Network founder. The We Care Network is a Band-Aid on the healthcare system in a community that values access for all. THANK YOU to the physicians and dentists who have been a part of the We Care Network these past 30 years.
Capital Medical Society Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) corporation, dedicated to supporting the charitable efforts of physicians and others, increasing access to healthcare, promoting education, and serving the community’s health needs through innovative projects that are exemplary, affordable, and dignified. For more information, visit capmed.org.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Capital Medical Society marks 30 years of improving healthcare access
