Universal American’s Collaborating for Good Health Giving
Back Program will support the Physicians Care Clinic in its
mission to serve limited income residents of Dekalb County,
Georgia.
“We are delighted that Universal American has selected
our organization for this donation,” said Gary Botstein,
MD, Chairman of the Board. “We recognize that the health
and wellbeing of our patients is dependent on support from
generous community partners like Universal American.”
The funding from Universal American will be used to enhance
the services that the Physicians’ Care Clinic provides. All
patients of the Physicians’ Care Clinic have a family
income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level ($33,075
for a family of four) and are predominately people of ethnic
and racial minorities one third of which are over age 55. The
funding will allow the PCC to focus on serving this older population
by creating appropriate elder issue referrals and to hire an
additional nurse to work with this population.
The number of patients served by the Physicians’ Care
Clinic increased 6 percent from 2008 to 2009 and continues
to rise. An escalation in the county unemployment rate up to
35 percent in the last 12 months has added to the number of
uninsured adults who need a medical safety-net. Universal
American’s Giving Back Program supports PCC to meet this
growing need.
According to Paul Walker, vice president and general manager
of Georgia for Universal American, “Our Healthy CollaborationSM
model demonstrates Universal American’s approach to healthcare
in recognizing that the key to an older adult’s wellbeing
is their relationship to the community. It is an honor to support
organizations like the Physicians’ Care Clinic that shares
this same commitment to embracing older, limited income adults
and helping them access the benefits they deserve.”
Universal American, through its family of healthcare companies,
is focused on providing comprehensive and affordable healthcare
for people with Medicare. Universal American’s Medicare
plans are based on A Healthy CollaborationSM, which is a dedication
to working collaboratively with its members and their healthcare
professionals in order to improve their overall health and
wellbeing.
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About Physicians’ Care Clinic.
Formed in 1992, PCC was founded by the DeKalb Medical Society
as a volunteer driven initiative focused on providing medical
care to the working poor of the county. Today,
PCC remains an initiative of DMS and operates under the Physicians
Alliance’s 501C (3) determination letter. DMS
management provides financial reporting and support to PCC. In
addition, DMS members have historically volunteered at PCC
weekly clinics and via specialty care through the hospital. DeKalb
Medical has a strong linkage with DMS through its physician
pool and has historically supported the program by providing
space, pharmaceuticals, facility resources and time, such
as operating rooms, labs and tests among other items. For
17 years PCC has remained true to its purpose of providing
access to quality health care for those who cannot afford
it due to financial hardship such as a loss of employment/insurance.
According to the US census’ 2008 American Community
Survey, DeKalb county ranks second in metro Atlanta for the
highest concentration of uninsured (28% of its total population
of 740K equals an uninsured population of 207,200). Today,
PCC serves over 1600 low income people in DeKalb County annually,
with chronic disease management and non-emergent symptomatic
health issues. With the help of our partners and
skilled volunteers, the PCC has broadened its capabilities
to include a comprehensive array of health services delivered
through the mechanism of weekly health clinics that serve as
a stable short or longer term medical home for clients; an
organizing mechanism for the philanthropy and volunteerism
of skilled health professionals and health resource providers;
and serves as a community asset and valuable resource for the
County and major business partners who would otherwise be impacted
financially, programmatically or socially by the population
for which PCC provides services. Our services include
the following:
Weekly Health Clinics:
Currently, the PCC weekly clinics are conducted two times per
week at which an average of 25 patient appointments are completed. Clinics
involve a team of skilled volunteers and staff including,
but not limited to, the following: Physicians, RN’s,
lab technicians, pharmacists, student pharmacists, and administrative
volunteers.
Through Clinics, patients access ongoing care or symptomatic
care. Importantly, clinics are the gateway through which
patients are assessed for and provided an array of health resources. Together,
the provision of a stable medical home paired with robust health
resources and services allow PCC to provide a high quality
and comprehensive continuum of health services aimed at empowering
patients to manage their health and ultimately to improve their
quality of life.
About Universal American
Universal American (NYSE: UAM), through its family of healthcare
companies, offers benefit plans designed to promote collaboration
among our members and their healthcare professionals. This
Healthy CollaborationSM improves the health and well being
of more than two million people with Medicare every day.
For more information on Universal American and its Medicare
Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans, which include: Today’s
Options® PPO, Today’s Options® PFFS, Community
CCRxSM PDP and PrescribaRxSM PDP, offered in the Richmond
area, visit our Web site at www.UniversalAmerican.com.
About Universal American’s ’Collaborating for Good Health’
Giving Back Program
Through its Giving Back Program, Universal American supports
local organizations that are dedicated to helping older adults
and people with Medicare maximize access to services and increase
their quality of life.
