County's Community Health Center Receives Grant

By Shawn Drury

The office of Rep. James Clyburn (D-6) announced on Thursday that South Carolina has received $2.4 million in grants to help uninsured residents register for health insurance. The grant money is provided by the Department of Health and Human Services and is to be used at community health centers once the health care exchange opens on October 1.

Upon hearing of the grant Clyburn said, "I am pleased to see the community health centers will be playing a significant role in educating South Carolinians about their health insurance options. It is extremely important that the one in six South Carolinians who are uninsured sign up for these affordable health care plans, and many of these individuals currently receive their health care at community health centers.”
There are 19 health centers in the Palmetto State in total that will receive the grant dollars. Last year, the centers served 315,107 patients last year, 36 percent of whom were uninsured. With these funds an additional 41,050 South Carolinians will receive assistance with enrollment into affordable health insurance coverage with the help of 45 new employees.

The health centers will help consumers understand their coverage options in the new Health Insurance Marketplace. They will also help determine an individual’s eligibility for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program; any financial help they can get; and enroll them in new affordable health coverage options.

The facilities receiving grant awards are:
FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE, INC. - Clemson
BEAUFORT-JASPER-HAMPTON COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH SERVICES, INC. - Ridgeland
CARE SOUTH CAROLINA INC - Hartsville
CAROLINA HEALTH CENTERS, INC. - Greenwood
COMMUNITY MEDICINE FOUNDATION, INC. - Rock Hill
EAU CLAIRE COOPERATIVE HEALTH CENTER - Columbia
FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS, INC. - Orangeburg
FRANKLIN C FETTER FAMILY HEALTH CENTER INC. - Charleston
HEALTH CARE PARTNERS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, INC. - Conway
HOPEHEALTH INC. - Florence
LITTLE RIVER MEDICAL CENTER, INC. - Little River
LOW COUNTRY HEALTH CARE SYSTEM INC. - Fairfax
NEW HORIZON FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES, INC - Greenville
REGENESIS ORGANIZATION COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER - Spartanburg
RURAL HEALTH SERVICES INC. - Clearwater
SANDHILLS MEDICAL FOUNDATION - McBee
SOUTH CAROLINA PRIMARY HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION - Columbia
ST JAMES SANTEE FAMILY HEALTH CENTER - McClellanville
SUMTER FAMILY HEALTH CENTER - Sumter