An idea for Manatee County: Issue $500 credit cards to medically needy low-income residents
Here is a simple solution to serving the medically needy in Manatee County. Issue citizens falling within the "ALICE" income classification (as defined by the 2014 United Way study) a credit card for $500 which can be used at any medical office or hospital in Manatee County.
The concept is similar to the Women Infants and Children (WIC) program administered by the Florida Department of Health, which allows needy citizens to purchase food at any grocery store in Manatee County. Last year, over $5 million was spent in Manatee County by participants in the WIC program.
Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with its high deductibles is essentially a catastrophic health plan, a Manatee County health credit card can help the medically needy address the more immediate issue of being able to afford a visit to the doctor.
Today, since the medically needy cannot afford a traditional doctor's visit, they end up at hospital emergency rooms because although they may have to wait a very long time before they are seen by a physician, at least it's free if their income is 200 percent or less of the federal poverty level.
To support this idea, some medical groups and doctor offices in Manatee County may want to formulate a special fee schedule (such as that available at the 16 MCR Health Services locations) for patients using the card and prominently post this at the reception desk to show their support for the program.
Additionally, Manatee County could offer support for a transparent fee schedule by posting it on the county's medical provider website.
Multiplying 60,000 Manatee County citizens living at the ALICE income level or below by the $500 card yields a total annual health expenditure of $3 million. The county agreed to spend $5.3 million this year on health care for the medically needy.
If our county commissioners see the value of this idea, the question then becomes how can we fit it into our existing health care budget?
Mike Meehan, CFA
Bradenton
This story was originally published April 3, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "An idea for Manatee County: Issue $500 credit cards to medically needy low-income residents ."