by Whitney Hicks, Development and Communications Associate
The Asfaw family* was terminated from their Medicaid health insurance in 2008 because Mr. and Mrs. Asfaw made just over the maximum required income level to qualify. When their ten year old son, Marcus, fell during a soccer game and hurt his leg, the family didn’t know what to do. They couldn’t afford to pay for a doctor out of pocket, and they didn’t have health insurance. Luckily, they found out about Community of Hope’s health clinic.
Community of Hope provides health services to our patients regardless of their ability to pay. The Asfaw family was put on a sliding fee scale which charges patients a small co-pay based on their financial situation. Marcus told the doctor that his knee hurt.
Marcus was referred to Washington Radiology Associates (WRA) for x-rays. Because of Community of Hope’s special relationship with WRA, Marcus was able to receive x-rays without any hassle and with a short wait time even without insurance. When it was determined that Marcus needed to see a specialist, Community of Hope’s Enrollment Specialist, Lisa Branham, sat down with Mrs. Asfaw to reassess her family’s financial situation. Lisa discovered that with recent changes in Medicaid policy as a result of healthcare reform, the Asfaw family would now qualify.
The process was long and complicated. After the insurance offi ce received their application, Lisa had to work hard to encourage the site supervisor to move forward quickly on this case. Mrs. Asfaw was so worried about her son that she called Community of Hope everyday to check on the status of the application. Lisa was able to successfully sign up the Asfaws for health insurance, and Marcus saw a specialist the following week.
The specialist told Mrs. Asfaw that if they had waited any longer to get Marcus in, his hip could have been permanently damaged. He may not have been able to walk again! He was sent directly to the hospital the same day and went through surgery the following morning.
We are so happy to report that Marcus is now well on his way to recovery. With a little bit of help from Community of Hope, Marcus was able to get the medical care he needed. Today Marcus is back to doing what he loves best: playing soccer.
*Names and identifying information have been changed to protect the identity of the patients.
