Duval County, Fla., Program Provides Free Care to the Uninsured

Beginning Aug. 1, some low-income Duval County, Fla., residents will have access to free health services through a "pre-pilot program" called JaxCare, the Florida Times-Union reports. JaxCare was created by the community coalition Communities in Charge, and Memorial Hospital Jacksonville is the first hospital to participate in the program. Under the one-year project, the hospital and JaxCare will provide primary care, specialty and laboratory services, as well as medial equipment to participants. About 15 primary care physicians and 50 specialists at Memorial Hospital have volunteered to provide services under the program. To receive care through the program, individuals must be Duval County residents, not eligible for any other government insurance coverage and have annual incomes less than 200% of the federal poverty level, or $36,200 for a family of four. So far, 20 people have enrolled in the program, and enrollment will be open until between 50 and 150 people are signed up. About one in six Duval County residents is uninsured; many of the county's uninsured have jobs but are unable to gain access to health insurance. JaxCare could become a two-year project or even a long-term solution to the problem of the uninsured, the Times-Union reports, adding that other hospitals are expected to participate in the program (Moczynski, Florida Times-Union, 7/29).