08 - Financial Assistance - Paris-Lamar County Health District ARPA Funding

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OPTIONS: 1. Approve the assistance of $10,000.00 of ARPA Funding to the Paris -Lamar County Health District for indigent patient care. 2. Disapprove the assistance. RECOMMENDATION: 1. Approve the assistance of $10,000.00 of ARPA Funding to the Paris -Lamar County Health District for indigent patient care. From Dr. Amanda Green: COVID Funds Grant Reauest Date: 3/29/2022 Requestor: Paris Lamar County Health District Amount of Request: $10,000 from City of Paris COVID fund distribution and $10,000 from Lamar County COVID fund distribution Background: As we emerge from our last COVID surge, our medical community is seeing large numbers of patients with ongoing symptoms related to COVID infections and patients with more advanced symptoms of diseases as they delayed care during the pandemic. The Paris Lamar County Health District serves our community as a safety net for patients without insurance or funds in our community. The ongoing City and County support is invaluable. The Lamar Delta County Medical Society in the past have awarded a grant of $2000 about every 2 years (whenever the funds run out) to help pay for clinic visits and labs for patients that could not otherwise afford it. We generally can serve around 60 unique patients with $2000 in the past. We have run out of our last award of grant funds faster than usual due to the numbers of people needing to access this program. With other COVID waivers timing out that allowed expanded Medicaid services, we anticipate a rise in the numbers of patients requiring indigent care. Proposed Use of Funds: The Paris Lamar County Health District requests a portion of the funds allocated to our region to please to go to the health district that would be placed in an account to be used by indigent patients as we have used the Medical Society funds in the past. Our administrative team keeps a detailed log of use of these funds which can be reported back to the City and County. The funds are accessed by patients established in the health district clinic who are referred by our financial screeners or clinical staff when identified as needing to use the grant money to be able to obtain timely medical care. We requested a higher amount than we usually receive from the Medical Society to be able to offer financial assistance with basic radiology studies. We have a discounted radiology price list from our local radiology clinic, and are able to help obtain affordable films for our patients when needed. The requested grant money would help patients who are not able to pay the $22-500 (depending on the study), even with our discounted rate.