CATCH is a group of volunteer physicians collaborating with Memorial Health System, St. John's Hospital and local social service agencies to provide a medical home to low-income residents in Sangamon County through access to comprehensive health services.
Services will be offered to:
• Residents of Sangamon County
• People with income at or below 200% of poverty level
• People who are not currently insured
• People who are not eligible for public benefits such as Medicaid or Medicare
CATCH will:
• Screen clients for eligibility and ensure all clients sign a patient responsibility contract
• Coordinate referrals centrally to assure equitable distribution of patients among all participating physicians
• Provide clients with case management services to assist with reminder calls, transportation and other necessary support
• Document volunteer care given to the uninsured
What is CATCH? (Coordinated Access to Community Health) An Access Program designed to improve the health of the uninsured in Sangamon County by providing a free medical home and specialty care to patients who qualify. It combines donated physician care, hospital services, medication assistance, and case management in a manner that maximizes existing community resources and enhances coordination among all participants.
Why is there a need for CATCH? Uninsured residents are more likely to delay care, until emergencies arise and to use emergency rooms when they do seek care-resulting in sporadic, costly care with poorer health outcomes. This initiative aims to improve the health and well-being of community members, as well as to produce cost savings for local medical institutions.
Why should I volunteer my services to CATCH? Because it will plug a loophole for medical care in our community; it will ease the strain on emergency rooms and over-crowded clinics who must care for unplanned patients and it will increase the efficiency and decrease the costs of seeing this segment of the patient population.
But our community has an FQHC designed to take care of the uninsured? Yes, Capitol Community Health Center is taking care of the uninsured primary care. However, lack of specialty care is the same for the FQHC doctors as it is for other practitioners. The CATCH program is designed to coordinate the necessary specialty care and other ancillary services in an efficient and timely manner for the FQHC and all other participating physicians. Further, the CATCH program will be able to identify patients not utilizing the eligible services of the FQHC. One of the main goals for CATCH is non-duplication of services.
What is asked of me when I volunteer? CATCH patients are scheduled like insured patients, and will present CATCH ID card to you office staff. They should be treated like any other patient in your office. Your office staff should submit a standard billing and coding form to CATCH in the same way they do for any other insurance plan, except you will receive no payment.
If diagnostic services such as laboratory work, x-rays, or other tests are needed, you may choose to donate these if you regularly perform these procedures in your office, or CATCH will assist your staff in arranging for these services participating facilities. After you have seen a CATCH patient, you should call or write the referring doctor or clinic just as you do for any other patient in your practice.
Can Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners see CATCH patients? Yes, the med-level providers in your office can provide care for CATCH patients.
How can I be assured that my pledge will not be exceeded? CATCH maintains a centralized tracking system to assure that only the number of patients that you have agreed to accept will come into your practice. Careful tracking of referrals creates an equal distribution of patients across participating physicians.
Who can receive this care? Often, individuals without health insurance are working in one or more low-wage jobs without health benefits-earning too much to qualify for programs like Medicaid, but not enough to afford health insurance and still meet other essential needs such as food, clothing, and housing. To be eligible for CATCH, patients must be adult men and non-pregnant women, live in Sangamon County, not have insurance, and not qualify for other public assistance programs. Each patient is screened annually to determine ongoing eligibility.
But I already see uninsured patients? However, there is no system to provide support services for these patients which in turn leads to frustration, inefficiency and ineffective outcomes. Lab work, x-rays, and medications are not available, patient referrals require negotiating time from colleagues and staff resources taking more time away from patient care. CATCH is designed to make this process easier for the physician and staff. Not only will the patient receive the ancillary services necessary but the charity care is measured and reported to the community.
What about the health care reform bill designed to cover the uninsured? New services provided in the bill will not be fully implemented until 2014. It is estimated that 18 to 20 million patients will remain without access to care. CATCH is designed to care for the Sangamon county patient population in this category even after all phases of the new health care reform bill are in place. We estimate that a thousand or more patients in Sangamon County may fall through the cracks. The size and resources necessary to manage the CATCH program will be a means to regulate and maximize the utility of federal dollars into Sangamon County while managing and treating all uninsured patients in the community.
What about liability? The Good Samaritan Act of Illinois was amended in 2008 when Access DuPage, in concert with ISMS and other organizations lobbied to broaden the definition of free clinics so that doctors as members of access projects do not charge for services, they are provided the same immunity under the law as if they were seeing the patient at a free clinic, it's a "free medical clinic without walls". Patients will be required to sign an affidavit recognizing this before being enrolled in CATCH.
Why should I support CATCH? CATCH has the potential to be a highly visible example of physician leadership in action. The program embodies the ideas of the medical profession in serving disadvantaged persons. The success of CATCH hinges on the volume of participating physicians.
If I am already treating a low-income, uninsured patient, can I enroll them in the program? Yes, if you are currently treating patients whom you believe may qualify for CATCH, you may refer them. Please request and complete a referral form from our office. By enrolling your patients, you will receive recognition for this care, and your patients then become eligible for comprehensive services that CATCH provides-such as, case management, specialty referrals, hospitalization, and medication assistance.
What if a patient needs to be hospitalized? Memorial Health Systems and St. John's Hospital are involved in CATCH. They are assisting us financially as well as with donated in-kind services to CATCH patients.
What about medications? Patients needing medications for short term medications will be sent to local social service agencies currently providing medication services. Prescriptions for chronic problems needing long term assistance will be filled through one of three current indigent pharmaceutical programs: Kumler, Catholic Charities and CCHC. Patients will sign the forms and provide supporting documentation to complete required indigent paperwork. Completed paperwork will be mailed with an original prescription to participating pharmaceutical companies. The processing time is typically 4 to 6 weeks. CATCH and the current programs will continue to collaborate in order to improve and streamline the access to medications.
Can you guarantee that patients will show up for their appointments? Patients sign a Patient Responsibility Contract stating the importance of keeping all appointments. CATCH staff will remind patients about their appointments. CATCH staff will remind patients about their appointments the day before. Patient Advocates will work with patients to help them address barriers, such as lack of transportation, so that they can keep their appointments. Patients know they may be discharged from the program for poor compliance.
