by REBEKAH PIERCE
Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care
Imagine you’ve finally secured great health insurance after many years without it. You establish a relationship with a private-practice doctor, and begin planning your future family. You’re pregnant, and suddenly, unexpectedly, you lose your job. The insurance has disappeared, and now regular checkups are out of the question.
For many minority communities here in Central Florida, this situation is a reality. The healthcare institution is difficult to navigate, with high costs and confusing systems standing in the way of much-needed care. Central Florida Health Care is working hard to dismantle the barriers that stand in the way for these individuals. They’re making sure quality healthcare remains a right, not a privilege.
There are two major challenges regarding health disparities among minorities, according to Karla Bonetti, an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse specializing in women’s health at CFHC.
“Low socioeconomic status and low health literacy,” she explains. “With that [often] comes a lack of health insurance and difficulty having access to healthcare due to poverty.”
These hurdles often force people to delay necessary medical care, ignoring warning signs until chronic conditions that are often preventable, like diabetes or hypertension, spiral out of control. Treating an illness is much harder than preventing it in the first place, which is why CFHC has made accessible preventive care a cornerstone of its approach.
As a Federally Qualified Health Center, CFHC offers a lifeline to vulnerable populations across Polk, Hardee, and Highlands counties. Their doors remain wide open to everyone, whether they have premium insurance, Medicaid, or no insurance at all.
One of their most powerful tools is the sliding fee scale, which adjusts the cost of health care services based on a family’s income. Ordinarily, says Bonetti, “A patient can pay for a consult of like $200 just to have a conversation for maybe 20 minutes. On the scale, they could pay $25 for the same service.”
These numbers are just examples of what is possible and not a guarantee of those exact prices. But the sliding scale is a blessing for families without health insurance who nevertheless deserve the same access to care.
While affordability is half the battle, physical access is another. Many migrant workers and rural residents in Central Florida struggle with transportation, which is why CFHC has put some of its clinics on wheels. It operates dedicated units that travel directly to rural communities.
Beyond primary care and mobile units, CFHC also provides high-level specialty care that uninsured patients usually cannot access. Their clinics feature pediatrics, podiatry, endocrinology, rheumatology, dermatology, and extensive Ob-Gyn services. Patients can see top-tier specialists while still utilizing the sliding fee scale, saving them from the crushing out-of-pocket costs typically associated with specialized medicine.
Central Florida Health Care recognizes that health extends far beyond the walls of a doctor’s office, leading them to look at the big picture of community wellness. To combat food insecurity, CFHC partners with the United Way to host 9 food distribution sites — eight in Polk County and one in Hardee County. They’ve also created a medical-dental integration program, bringing dental care directly to local schools and having dental hygienists provide fluoride treatments to pediatric patients.
Even getting prescriptions is easier. Many clinic location have their own pharmacies offering heavily discounted medications and extended hours. Looking ahead, CFHC is even planning to open dedicated diabetes education centers in their Lakeland and Winter Haven clinics.
With all of these resources, though, Bonetti still highlights the important steps people can take themselves to safeguard their own health. Community support and self-advocacy are key.
“We’re here for them,” Bonetti urges. “Although they may face or think they have so many challenges to care, there are open doors for them to receive the same quality care as in a private office. Education is power.”