Employers Health assists communities in finding solutions to the issue of the uninsured and under-insured.  In 2005, EHPCO awarded “Healthy Community Grants” totaling $100,000 to six non-profit organizations that render services to this target population.  In addition, EHPCO’s group purchasing contract with Caremark serves as the prescription purchasing “engine” behind community programs such as the Stark Prescription Assistance Network and Summit County’s Access to Care program.  Employers Health is also an active member of the COMPASS workgroup in Stark County.

COMPASS, which stands for Community Objectives Met through a Partnership of All Segments of Society, began in Stark County in 2002 as a pilot of the United Way of Greater Stark County. It is a community process aimed at helping inventory needs and develop grassroots action plans to improve community life. COMPASS is a comprehensive approach to community building that mobilizes community strengths to identify opportunities and address critical issues.

The Health committee of COMPASS in Stark County is a collaboration of representatives from multiple stakeholders including medical providers, medical schools, employers, government agencies, public health and other civic organizations.  The COMPASS health committee has two primary objectives.  First, the committee gathers data and analyzes outcomes on the overall health of Stark County residents by utilizing several state-wide data sources and its own internal polling.  Second, the committee works to address the issue of the uninsured population within Stark County.  The committee has worked to create and distribute a resource guide listing healthcare services that are free or on a sliding scale fee schedule and are available to the uninsured or underinsured residents of the county.  More than 7,500 resource guides are being distributed.  Additionally, the committee planned a breakfast meeting focusing on solutions for small employers during Cover the Uninsured Week, a national program sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  The committee will continue offering venues for dialogue around solutions through future meetings and work with the county’s community leadership program to integrate information pertinent to the issue into the program’s curriculum.

Click here to download Healthcare Resource guide.