WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The appreciation for health insurance and the security it offers can be easily overlooked until it’s needed.
Project Access ensures everyone has access to care despite their ability to pay.
The nonprofit has served Sedgwick County’s uninsured low-income residents for over 23 years.
Cy Rogers says it changed his life.
“I tore my ACL, my PCL, my LCL, I have nerve damage,” said Rogers.
A basketball injury in 2017 led to years of rehab and visits to the doctor.
“When I was on the examining table, they were going to cut my leg off, and I got lucky that I didn’t damage enough, I guess,” said Rogers.
A positive perspective for Rogers, who sees his outcome could have been different.
“The cost of care was around $103,000, just a little bit over,” said Rogers. “It was completely covered by Project Access.”
The nonprofit helps in an emergency and facilitates care for chronic health concerns.
“Somebody who is uninsured may continue to wait,” said Fern McGehee, the prescription assistance coordinator at Project Access.
“By the time they get to the low-cost clinic that’s referring them, they’re referring for reactive care because they have felt poorly for so long, not realizing that this was something that wasn’t going to go away,” said McGehee.
“They’re helping people that you wouldn’t even be able to identify, and they’re helping people in ways that it’s almost impossible to measure,” said Rogers.
Matched with unquantifiable amounts of gratitude.
“The organization that I work for works with nonprofits and government agencies, and I obviously feel compelled to do that because I have experienced firsthand how beneficial they can be to people, and you want those organizations to do the best that they can,” said Rogers.
A balance at zero, paying it forward to others.
Project Access recently enrolled their 15,000 patient with an estimated total of $247 million in donated care.
There are co-pays for some medications. People can learn if they qualify online. Three ways to support project access:
- Donations to help fund prescription and durable medical that is covered.
- Spread the word
- Help with perspective
