Greenville Magazine - August 2008 - (Page 13) CommuniCare T he number of uninsured workers in South Carolina is higher than all of the people living in the state’s most populated county, Greenville County. While trying to reach nearly half a million uninsured workers might seem daunting to some, Ken Trogdon is ready. He’s the CEO of CommuniCare, a statewide nonprofit aimed at providing access to health care and prescription drugs to those who would otherwise not receive it. “We’re the only organization statewide addressing this,” he says. For a $20 dollar annual registration fee, members of CommuniCare receive free physician care and free prescriptions. Many of CommuniCare’s 14,000 members are too young to qualify for Medicare and make too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but don’t have enough money to afford insurance. “With this economy more people are losing their benefits and just trying to get by. What’s happening is they are either losing their benefits or [their benefits are] being cut or they’re being laid off,” explains Trogdon. “A lot of these folks have chronic disease and have nowhere to turn but their local emergency room.” It’s a pricey problem for employers and the state’s medical system, but a problem Trogdon is working to relieve. A serious car accident thirteen years ago put Trogdon face-to-face with the struggles and anguish of South Carolina’s uninsured. While Trogdon says he was lucky enough to have insurance that covered his medical expenses, he met many folks who were not. Those relationships sparked a passion for Trogdon to try to help South Carolina’s uninsured workers. More than a decade later CommuniCare filled 142,000 prescriptions, handing out $34 million worth of prescription drugs to CommuniCare’s members. Through Trogdon’s pharmaceutical contacts and CommuniCare’s strong reputation, several of the nation’s biggest drug companies have agreed to participate by offering millions of dollars worth of prescription drugs to South Carolina residents for free. “We’ve got a good reputation which has allowed us to open a lot of doors with companies that we probably wouldn’t otherwise be able to gain traction with,” explains Trogdon. Companies like Lilly, Pfizer, BristolMyers Squibb, Merck and Johnson and Johnson have all joined the program. Photo Courtesy of CommuniCare non-profitProfile 13 CommuniCare is also assisting South Carolina’s children and adults with dental health through a division called “Smiles.” Smiles operates centers in Allendale, Manning and Dillon plus part-time centers in Summerton and Charleston. The centers treat about 3,500 children each school year. In 2007, 6,600 cavities were filled thanks to the program. Trogdon sited a recent case involving a daycare worker who lost her front teeth. “She was using wax to cover the gap in her mouth,” says Trogdon. “Volunteer dentists were able to treat her.” Plus, the woman was fighting a chronic disease, didn’t have a physician and couldn’t afford insurance on her $8/hour salary. “One of her co-workers heard me interviewed on National Public Radio. Within 24 to 48 hours we were able to get her on the program,” says Trogdon. “She’s been able through us to keep her job and to not only receive her medications, but also to receive significant dental assistance.” Trogdon hopes thousands more uninsured workers in South Carolina will join CommuniCare. He says the organization is prepared to more than AUGUST 2008 | Greenville MAGAzine
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