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New Health Center to Serve Uninsured Patients

(The View from Ellicott City) -- Residents who lack health insurance will soon have access to primary health care close to home, as a new non-profit health center is set to open for July in Columbia.

The center, to be located on the site of former Columbia Medical Plan in Oakland Mills, will serve residents with little or no insurance, including those using Medicaid and Medicare.

The project is a joint effort between the local philanthropic Horizon Foundation, Chase Brexton Health Services and the Maryland Community Health System.  The facility will be managed by Chase Brexton and, as a federally qualified health center, will be under the MCHC umbrella.

"We identified an area in Columbia where there are people who were uninsured and underinsured," explained Chase Brexton spokeswoman Franny Lerner.  "Even though Howard County is a very affluent county, there are about 15,000 uninsured residents."

According to Horizon research, more than 41 percent of uninsured residents earn less than $25,000 per year.  Low-income residents usually don't get medical attention on a regular basis and end up going to Howard County General Hospital when faced with an emergency.

Many residents of Oakland Mills, the designated location of the Chase Brexton center, lack access to health care, said Richard Krieg, Horizon's president and CEO.

The opening of the new facility will be the result of the two years' worth of work by the foundation's planning team.  The center received federal funding last month.

The only clinic currently serving underinsured patients is the Health Alliance, also located in Columbia and mostly funded by Horizon.

The Health Alliance announced it would be closing in July and moving its services to the new center.  Manager Pam Mack said the Health Alliance will be working closely with Chase Brexton so existing patients can seamlessly transition to that center.

Chase Brexton may also interview Health Alliance employees interested in working for the new center, she said.

Krieg said the center will provide primary health care for several thousands people.  The Health Alliance currently serves about 300 patients with chronic medical problems.

"This new facility is a major milestone in meeting the healthcare needs of thousands of county residents.  Many of them are working adults who, for various reasons, can't afford health insurance," he said in a press release.

The center will open with a physician, nurse practitioner and some support staff.  The number of staff members and services will increase during the first year of operation.

Initially there will be eight exam rooms and space for substance abuse treatment, smoking cessation, HIV/AIDS treatment, dental care, mental health care and other services.

The facility will rely on Medicare and Medicaid funding so patients can pay on a sliding fee scale.

Although the option of very low-cost care is available, Krieg said patients will be able to pay more, noting that "people, when they can pay, like contributing to their own healthcare."

Chase Brexton, a Baltimore-based nonprofit organization, originally opened as a gay clinic and has since aimed to serve all people who have traditionally lacked access to health care.

Most of its patients are not gay or lesbian, although "we strive to make sure all our health centers are welcoming to that community," Lerner said.  "It's a comfortable setting for diverse populations."

The Horizon Foundation, located in Columbia, aims to promote community health and wellness through various partnerships, grants and initiatives.  It was established in 1998 as a product of the merger between Johns Hopkins Medicine with Howard County General Hospital.

The details of the facility's layout have not been finalized, but it will conform to the size of the existing site.  Krieg said an architect has been retained, the floor plan is in the last stages of completion and the facility will be "very modern and up-to-date."