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In 2006, the Ohio Hospital Association reported that 1.3 million adults and children in Ohio were uninsured – the equivalent of the entire population of Greater Columbus. That is 13% of the state population, with 4 out of 5 uninsured Ohioans in working families. Businesses face double-digit annual inflation in health insurance premiums and continue to cut back on the coverage offered to employees.

Uninsured people have worse health status and die younger, and suffer economically. Medical problems and bills were a factor in about 50% of all non-business bankruptcy filings in 2001.

Ohio hospitals provided $733 million in free care to uninsured people in 2004, less than half of it reimbursed by government programs. If a community has a high proportion of uninsured people, the financial burden of free care can lead to significant cuts in the availability of services, ultimately restricting access to services even for neighbors with insurance.

Churches and emergency assistance programs are responding to this immense problem in several ways. In addition to providing free medicines for limited periods of time, some organizations, like the Caring Connection in Marietta, help chronically ill people to apply for discount or free prescriptions from pharmaceutical companies. Others, like the Dr. Torrence Medical Benevolence committee at Trinity, Troy, provide financial aid but also negotiate with hospitals and doctors to reduce or forgive patients’ outstanding debts.

Ministry for Community, an ecumenical organization aided by ECSF through Trinity, London, successfully launched a free clinic. Another highly successful ministry is the Open Door at Advent, whose counselors help chronically mentally ill people manage their monthly Social Security checks to prevent hunger or eviction. Open Door staff see their clients often at the church’s drop-in meals, and work closely with caseworkers to ward off severe setbacks and hospitalization.

Our newest tool for increasing access to medical care is the Ohio Benefit Bank, a free, web-based program that screens people for Medicaid eligibility and helps people fill out applications. The non-partisan children’s advocacy group Voices for Ohio’s Children reported in February, 2007, that 68% of Ohio’s uninsured children were eligible for, but not yet enrolled in Medicaid. Ohio’s new biennial budget includes a major expansion in state Medicaid eligibility designed to open access to virtually every uninsured child in the state. The time has never been more opportune to get the word out, especially to working parents who can’t afford family coverage.

Contact ECSF’s Ariel Miller to find out how to reach the nearest Benefit Bank trainer – one is based in each of the state’s 12 regional foodbanks.

For a list of churches in the diocese that have health ministries, go here. For a list of churches in the diocese that have mental health ministries, go here. You can network with them for ideas to establish or enhance your own ministries.

For other non-profit entities that may be helpful sources of information on community needs and program design, go to our Other Resources page.