Health centers around the nation are celebrating and promoting themselves this week to remind the public of the many crucial services they provide.
Here in Knox County the health center is no exception.
Director of Wellness Erin Olson says the holiday is to promote the accomplishments of health centers and the services they provide. She says health centers like the one in Knox County provide care for the uninsured and under insured, or really anyone who needs them.
The theme for National Health Center Week this year is heroes who go “above the call of duty” to provide communities with quality health care.
The Knox County Health Center has a fully staffed medical office with four dentists, nurse practitioner, doctor, two nurses, a psych APN and two counselors.
Director of Operations, Stacy Simpson says patients pay off of a sliding fee scale, where what you pay is based on 30-day income and the amount of people in your home.
“We also accept insurances, so we can bill the insurance and you can still qualify for the sliding fee,” said Simpson. “So you would pay if your co-pay was [$20] but you qualified for [$10] on the sliding fee, you would pay the lesser of the two or vice versa.”
Olson says this is a week to make the public aware that Knox County has a federally qualified health center that works with anyone to get them healthcare, even if they are under-insured.
Over the years she says they’ve been able to expand their services adding doctors, nurses, dental and behavioral health.
“So we can integrate and make it your personal healthcare home so everything is there when you walk from… seeing that doctor, seeing the dentist, talking to somebody, getting a simple immunization to get your kid ready for school. It’s just trying to incorporate that all together” Olsen tells WGIL.
Even if you do have insurance but perhaps can’t afford the deductibles, you would still pay the sliding fee scale if it was less than your co-pay.
Patients can sign up for a raffle this week as a way for the health center to say thanks to those that use their services.
They have a full week planned to promote their operations starting off today with Social Media Monday, in which there will be a special Snapchat filter at the Health Center that you can use to publicize your support.
You can always followed the Health Center on Facebook, Instagram
