Empty Stocking Fund: Peak Vista addresses high cost of health care
Yesenia Marquez has five children ages 16 and younger, including 7-year-old twins who were born premature.
She has seen the typical and not so typical childhood ailments: her sons’ broken bones from school sports, a daughter who needs a specialist’s care, severe winter flu, immunizations and other issues.
The high cost of health care could be disastrous financially even though Marquez, a single mother, works two jobs, one as a caregiver and another stocking shelves.
Marquez, who is divorced, has Health First Colorado, the state’s Medicaid, program for low-income or impoverished patients, and the disabled. But not all providers accept Medicaid patients.
She considers herself lucky to have found Peak Vista Community Health Centers, a nonprofit, federally qualified agency that provides medical, dental and behavioral health care to anyone in need, regardless of ability to pay or what insurance they might have. Some have no insurance, others commercial, Medicare or Medicaid, and some pay on a sliding scale.
“They have been there for everything we have needed,” Marquez said. Her family has gone to Peak Vista for about six years. “They say let’s get this done so everything will be OK.”
Marquez is a typical client at Peak Vista.
“A majority of our patients work and many have two jobs and were still not able to pay the high insurance premiums and deductibles out there,” said Pam McManus, president and CEO. “We are about prevention and helping to assure patients don’t have to end up in emergency rooms.”
Peak Vista has 26 clinics and more than 94,000 patients in the Pikes Peak area and east central regions. Services include primary care, chronic and acute care, women’s health, pediatrics, senior care, prescriptions, lab work, health education, specialty referrals and more. There is also a Developmental Disabilities Health Center and three Casual Care Centers that are open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on weekends. Peak Vista staff also ease paperwork difficulties, including helping with referrals for hospitalization and coordinating with hospitals on finances.
Marquez, who juggles long hours at two jobs, appreciates the accessibility. She usually is able to get appointments quickly at times convenient for her work schedules. She is thankful that there is a Peak Vista clinic near her day care and work, so she doesn’t have to take much time off her job because of travel time.
“I know that if anything happens, I can count on getting a doctor,” she said. Recently when her daughter had a bad case of the flu she was able to get her care in a couple of hours.
She appreciates that the medical and clerical staff take time to answer her questions and listen to and alleviate concerns.
Most importantly, the children feel comfortable going to a doctor’s appointment. They are usually able to see the same physician.
“We all just love her and the clinic,” Marquez said.
“Empty Stocking Fund sparks the giving spirit of the Pikes Peak Region to benefit local non-profits, serving neighbors in need.”
You can “spark the giving spirit by donating @ www.EmptyStockingFundCO.org or Text ESF to 56512. Call 476-1673 to make a credit card or stock donation. Make check payable to the Empty Stocking Fund and mail to P.O. Box 910942, Denver, CO 80291-0942. Like us on Facebook at EmptyStockingFundCO or follow us on Twitter @EmptyStockingFundCO.