Free clinic may be in ACMC’s future

By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

November 01, 2009 11:32 pm

— GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE — The Ashtabula County Medical Center is developing plans for an indigent medical clinic to serve the under-privileged and uninsured residents of Ashtabula County, ACMC President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin J. Miller announced Sunday.
Holding a glass of wine at the Tastings of the North Coast fundraiser for the ACMC Foundation, Miller said the plans are in infancy.
“These are the valuable projects that can be realized with our capital campaigns,” he said. “An indigent clinic can provide so much to the residents of Ashtabula County.”
Miller said the clinic would operate on “a sliding scale” of payment based on income.
“One person may qualify for free care, while another may qualify to pay just a small fee,” he said.
Miller also said the clinic would employ a full-time physician so patients can enjoy consistent care with the same doctor.
“So many people are uninsured and they have trouble getting an appropriate level of care, whether it is preventative care or treatment,” he said.
Miller said he “won’t even guess” at the approximate cost of the clinic, which would be housed on the ACMC medical campus.
“I can tell you that it is not going to be cheap,” he said. “But we are looking at grants and avenues of funding to make this a reality for Ashtabula County.”