Access to affordable medical, dental care has 'major impact' for families struggling to get by – TCPalm
With more than 100,000 households on the Treasure Coast living just one emergency away from financial ruin, it can be a challenge to get access to affordable doctors, dentists and prescription medications.
The ability to obtain low-cost or free medical and dental care and medications can make huge differences in the health of entire families, especially for the roughly 13% in the three-county area already living in poverty, according to state and federal reports.
“It really does have a major impact on the lives of a family. We have many families who are underinsured or have no insurance and are living paycheck to paycheck,” said Colette Heid, communications director for eight Treasure Coast Community Health facilities in Indian River County, which last year provided low-cost medical, dental and behavior health care to 26,357 patients.
“Unfortunately, when the choice needs to be made of should mom go get a mammogram and pay $99 out-of-pocket, or put food on the table for the week, she’s going to pick putting food on the table,” added Heid. “So, any additional financial aid or support that we can provide those families is very important.”
According to a United Way report, about 239,474 households on the Treasure Coast live below the ALICE index, an acronym that stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
The ALICE report released in May 2020, the most recent available, showed that of the 57,636 households in Indian River County, 44% struggle to pay for basic needs.
That’s the same percentage for Martin County’s 63,070 households and in St. Lucie County, 46% of the estimated 118,768 households are barely getting by.
Statewide, 46% of households face the same financial challenges.
United Way ALICE report: One-third of Floridians one step away from poverty
Blake Fontenay: Financial woes, worsened by COVID, sometimes hard to see on Treasure Coast
To address the medical needs of low-income residents, each county has a range of discounted and free medical services provided by hundreds of dedicated medical professionals.
Knowing where to turn, who qualifies for affordable medical care and how to apply can be daunting, but the Internet is a good place to start, as the area’s leading providers have information and forms online.
Last week, Lisa Hatch, executive director at HANDS St. Lucie County, a Fort Pierce medical clinic that offers free services to qualified residents, was helping a 24-year-old man with no income who needs heart surgery find vital dental care required before his surgery.
“He has 30 days to get 32 teeth removed,” Hatch said. “We’ve been working on this almost daily to try and get him the services he needs.”
As the only free clinic in St. Lucie County, Hatch said HANDS logs about 2,000 patient visits a month. In addition to medical and dental care, their hospital partners provide about $11 million a year in specialty medical treatment, she said.
In Martin County, Mary Fields, the executive director of Volunteers in Medicine in Stuart, said their free clinic treats about 1,000 low-income adult county residents who have no insurance, Medicare, Medicaid or veteran’s benefits.
She urged Martin residents ages 18 to 64 seeking medical care to call their clinic to determine if they qualify as a patient based on residency, household income and access to health insurance.
“It can be challenging when you just go online and try to figure it out for yourself,” she said. “If you call the clinic, and say you have Medicare, you wouldn’t be able to come here. But our social worker might direct you to somebody that could help you find a doctor.”
Each Treasure Coast county also has state and federally funded facilities providing discounted or free mental health and crisis intervention services.
The region’s hospitals, including St. Lucie Medical Center, in Port St. Lucie, Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce and Treasure Coast Cleveland Clinic facilities offer discounted and free services to indigent patients who don’t qualify for state or federal assistance and are unable to make partial payments or pay their medical bill.
Here’s a county-by-county list, though not comprehensive, of the leading centers providing medical services not owned by a hospital network:
Indian River County
Treasure Coast Community Health (772) 257-8224
Eight centers in Gifford, Sebastian and Vero Beach
Serves all ages, providing primary care, dental, behavioral health, pregnancy and pediatric servicesAccepts most insurance plansEligibility is determined by the Federal Poverty Guidelines; patients with Medicare or no insurance may qualify for sliding fee scale program
Whole Family Health Center
Two clinical sites: Fort Pierce (772-468-9900) and Vero Beach (772-257-5785)
Provides primary care, pediatrics, behavioral health, pharmacy and transportation services to residents in Indian River and St. Lucie CountiesAccepts most insurance, offers sliding scale discounts to patients at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, meaning a single person’s annual income can’t exceed $25,760; for a family of four the household income can’t exceed $53,000.Must provide proof of residency, photo ID or two forms of verified identification, household size and income using pay stubs or IRS tax forms
We Care of IRC (772) 794-7422
Located in a wing of the Gifford Health Center, in Vero Beach, We Care clinic provides free medical services for uninsured, low-income Indian River County adult residents. Patients may qualify for services if they have no group or private insurance, proof residency and proof of income up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
St. Lucie County
Florida Dept. of Health in St. Lucie County (772) 462-3800
The St. Lucie County Health Department, with seven locations, including the Port St. Lucie Clinic, provides services to county residents at discounted rates.
Services include physicals, family planning, pediatric, child dental care and treatment of chronic diseases. Specialty care is offered to HIV clients with HIV diagnosis and AIDs
Sliding scale fees are offered to uninsured adult patients seeking primary or family planning services, and pediatric patients seeking dental services
Medicaid and Medicare accepted; photo ID and proof of income required
Florida Community Health Centers (561) 844-9443
Services include adult primary health care, pediatric, dental OB/GYN, pharmacy access and more to residents in St. Lucie, Martin, Okeechobee and Palm Beach counties.
Nine health centers located in Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, Stuart and IndiantownUtilizes a sliding fee scale based on household size and annual Federal Poverty LevelMust provide valid ID, proof of address, insurance, Medicaid or Medicare card
HANDS of St. Lucie County (772) 462-5646
St. Lucie County Health Access Network Inc., or HANDS of St. Lucie County is a free clinic that provides primary healthcare services to qualified, low-income, uninsured adults.
Services include free primary, mental health, dental, dermatology, gynecology and vision care to adult county residents living at 200% below the poverty lineEligible patients must be county residents for at least six months ages 18-64 without any health insurance, Medicaid or Medicare, and do not qualify for veterans benefits
Martin County
Florida Dept. of Health in Martin County (772) 221-4000
The Martin County Health Department has a location in Indiantown and in Stuart, which shares space with a Florida Community Health Center.
Both sites connect county residents with health services, including adult and child dental care, breast and cervical cancer early detection, insulin distribution and a teen clinic for free STD and pregnancy testing and birth controlUtilizes sliding scale fee based on income
Volunteers in Medicine (772) 463-4128
VIM is a free primary care medical clinic that treats Martin County adults ages 18-64 years old who do not have health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid or veteran’s benefits.
Eligible patients must prove their current income is 200% of Federal Poverty LevelResidents must have a valid photo ID, Social Security card, proof of residency and proof of income for the past year
Florida Community Health Centers (561) 844-9443
Serves patients at locations in Stuart and Indiantown. See details above, under St. Lucie County.
Melissa E. Holsman is the legal affairs reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers, and is writer and co-host of Uncertain Terms, a true crime podcast. Reach her at melissa.holsman@tcpalm.com.
