Uninsured Patients Received Surgery through ACCESS OC
A Program of the Health Funders’ Partnership of Orange County

On May 19, 2007, AccessOC took its first big step towards strengthening the safety net of specialty care for the uninsured. The first eight uninsured patients received donated outpatient surgeries at Kaiser through Access OC, the new nonprofit agency which is organizing medical volunteers, hospitals and community clinics to provide specialty care services for the uninsured.  This was the first of what will be many events at participating hospitals and surgi-centers throughout Orange County. Although the surgeries performed were low-risk (hernia repairs, cyst removals and sinus reconstruction), they all dramatically impacted the patients’ ability to work or care for their families. Meet Jose:

Jose B. is a 60-year-old gentleman who has had pain in his sinuses and severe headaches for 30 years.  The infection was so bad that he had totally lost his sense of smell and had repeated hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and antibiotic treatments. He was told ten years ago that only surgery would cure his condition, but he did not have the means to pay for the surgery.  Thanks to AccessOC and volunteers at Kaiser, he finally got the sinus repair surgery that he needed. “I am so grateful to everyone because now I can breathe better and do not have so much pain,” says Jose.

Jose and the other patients were referred to Access OC through one of the 23 community clinics in Orange County.  The referral is made to the Access OC case manager, who then contacts the patients and screens them for eligibility.  In order to be eligible for the Access OC program, the patient has to live at less than 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL), be ineligible for any type of health insurance program in the county, and be able to make a commitment to have the surgical procedure and participate in at least one pre- operative and post-operative appointment.  The Access OC case manager and program director work closely with the community clinics, the patient, and the hospital volunteers to coordinate all of the activities that are required to make the program a success. In addition to those who received surgery, others were seen by the surgeon and treated in the office or referred to the appropriate specialist.

The Access OC program is modeled after the successful Operation Access, a nonprofit organization in San Francisco.  To date, Operation Access has facilitated more than 2500 procedures and generated more than $14 million in charity care for patients in the Bay Area.  Access OC’s May 19th Surgery Day provided approximately $70,000 in charity care, offsetting the potential future costs of serious illnesses and complications if these patients were left untreated.  An impressive number of physicians and staff from Kaiser, 54 physicians, nurses, and support staff, volunteered their time to help the uninsured. Access OC is currently reaching out to other Orange County facilities.  St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton is slated for its own Super Surgery Day this fall, and Kaiser Permanente is already planning for another volunteer day. 

Access OC is one of the programs developed through the efforts of the Health Funders Partnership.  In September 2004, this coalition of  concerned health care advocates moved to address the critical need in Orange County and convened the Safety Net Initiative, a grass-roots effort to organize and mobilize the community to better serve those in need.  By improving the healthcare safety net in Orange County, the Health Funders Partnership hopes to have a direct and lasting impact on the ability of the uninsured to access healthcare. For more information please call Access OC at (949) 553-1320 or email www.accessoc.org.

Access OC programs are made possible due to the generous support and contributions from the Pacific Life Foundation, Irvine Health Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, CalOptima, and United Way of Orange County.

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