Download the Hamilton & Cadre Health Press Release Nov 2 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cadre Health and Hamilton Healthcare System Partner to Reduce the Number of Uninsured Patients and Improve Health Outcomes
This partnership will provide Hamilton Healthcare System with an effective platform to identify coverage and assistance options for uninsured patients who qualify for Medicaid coverage, disability, or other healthcare exchange options.
November 1, 2020 Hamilton, TX – Hamilton Healthcare System is partnering with Cadre Health to accelerate the enrollment of its uninsured patients with health insurance coverage, including Medicaid, along with other public assistance programs and resources that support health and wellness.

Cadre Health’s eligibility and enrollment platform leverages automation technology to screen uninsured patients for eligibility for more than 1,600 health insurance and other public programs nationwide. In addition to health care coverage, such as Medicaid and disease-specific programs, the Cadre Health platform screens for eligibility for other community resources that support health and wellness, including WIC and SNAP assistance programs, disability insurance, Head Start, and utility payment assistance. Once screened and identified as eligible, patients are supported throughout the enrollment process to ensure successful completion.
“We are excited about this opportunity to work with Hamilton Healthcare System. Reducing financial stress to the patient and their families, especially during this pandemic and ensuring their access to care aligns with both our missions” said Dr. Amy Funderburk, R.N., COO of Cadre Health. “Securing payment sources also ensures Hamilton Healthcare System is able to continue to serve those in need in their community.”

The Cadre Health eligibility and enrollment platform has a more than 95 percent accuracy rate for
Medicaid eligibility screening. Based on data from users over 16 months, the platform identified 81 percent of uninsured patients as eligible for Medicaid in states that expanded Medicaid under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act and 50 percent as eligible in non-expansion states. In addition, more than two-thirds were identified as eligible for other public programs.

ABOUT CADRE HEALTH
Cadre Health is a healthcare solutions company that develops, discovers, and distributes technology to improve facility operations, health outcomes, and overall experiences throughout the care continuum. More information is available from www.cadre.health.

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Respiratory therapists (RTs) at Hamilton Healthcare System are valued members of the healthcare team. RTs care for patients of all ages with breathing disorders such as asthma, bronchitis, COPD, cystic fibrosis, emphysema and obstructive sleep apnea. RTs provide emergency care, lung disease education, operate nebulizers, inhalers, and ventilators, as well as perform pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gases, exercise treadmill tests and administer oxygen. RTs are licensed by the Texas Medical Board under physician supervision.

In celebration of National Respiratory Care Week, October 25-31, 2020, Hamilton Healthcare System proudly recognizes the respiratory therapists for extraordinary excellence in treating patients in our community with dignity, respect and care 24/7.
RTs are here for you when you need us!

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October 28, 2020, Hamilton, Texas: Today, Hamilton County Hospital District approved an Interlocal Agreement to provide emergency medical services (EMS) to Llano County, Texas. The Agreement begins January 1, 2021, and is an initial five (5) year contract with two five (5) year automatic renewal periods. Hamilton EMS will provide four (4) full-time Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) ambulances based at strategic locations within Llano County. Baylor Scott & White has provided both Llano hospital management and emergency medical services to Llano County, since January 2010. Those agreements expire at year end and Baylor Scott & White has elected not to renew these services.

Hamilton County Hospital District provides EMS to Hamilton, Mills, and San Saba counties. The addition of Llano County increases the EMS service area to four (4) contiguous counties. This new total service area for Hamilton EMS spans nearly 4,000 square miles across the Hill Country and serves over 41,000 Texans with comprehensive high-quality prehospital emergency medical care. To meet these challenges, Hamilton EMS will increase full-time personnel to approximately 70 Paramedics and EMTs staffing ten (10) full-time ambulances in Hico, Hamilton, Goldthwaite, San Saba, Llano, Lake Buchanan, and Kingsland.

The Director of Hamilton EMS Patrick Cobb said, “We are excited about the opportunities expanding our EMS footprint brings to the system, the Hospital District, and to Llano County. Our EMS personnel continue to improve the delivery of rural emergency medical care. EMS far outside of large urban areas presents many challenges to not only our providers but to our customers who are sick or injured. Thankfully, through collaboration with EMS educational partners in the region; and great support from the District, Hamilton EMS has achieved a high degree of success in providing rural EMS healthcare.”

Grady Hooper, CEO of Hamilton Healthcare stated, “Delivering quality rural healthcare of any kind is challenging in the best of circumstances. The COVID Pandemic has stopped growth in many healthcare systems across the state and in some cases, hospitals and EMS providers have had to close their doors leaving communities with no healthcare. Without our EMS system being designated the first and only Critical Access ambulance provider in Texas by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid earlier this year, growing our system and providing these lifesaving services to our customers would be very difficult. We are fortunate to have the financial stability to deliver high quality medical care.”

 

Traditional Medicare open enrollment dates are:
October 15th – December 7th, 2020

Medicare Advantage Plans open enrollment dates are:
January 1st – March 31st, 2020

Hamilton General Hospital is unable to assist in the enrollment process due to COVID-19. We will not be holding an in-person enrollment fair at the hospital as we did in 2019. Additional information can be found at: https://www.medicare.gov/blog/medicare-advantage-open-enrollment-2020

Another helpful resource is the Area Agency on Aging of Central Texas 1-800-447-7169. The AAACT will also screen Medicare beneficiaries to see if they qualify for Low-Income Subsidy (LIS-also known as Extra Help)

Insurance plans that Hamilton General Hospital is in network with for the Medicare Advantage plans are:

• Aetna
• Amerivantage
• BCBS
• Cigna
• Humana
• Scott and White
• Superior
• United Healthcare

Join us for a Carter Bloodcare Blood Drive Thursday, August 23rd. The Carter Blood Care bus will be in the parking lot of Hamilton General Hospital from noon-6pm.  Appointments are suggested, schedule yours by following this link:https://ww2.greatpartners.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/93152

Wellness Panel Laboratory Testing event dates added for 2018

Garrett Schwartz, DPT

Garrett Schwartz, DPT has joined the Physical Therapy team at Hamilton General Hospital. Garrett is a native of Priddy, TX and graduated high school from Goldthwaite High School. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree at Angelo State University in San Angelo, TX. Garrett received his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, TX.

Garrett is dedicated to providing quality individualized care to all of his patients and is passionate about improving mobility to the citizens of Hamilton, Mills and surrounding counties.

 

Mistee Jefferies, APRN, PHMNP-BC

Mistee Jefferies joins the Special Care Clinic at Hamilton Healthcare System. Mistee was raised in Ohio but moved to Texas in the late 1990’s.  She has taught and practiced numerous skills to generations of student nurses and is now a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, licensed by the state of Texas in psychiatry and mental health.

She attended the University of Akron earning a Master’s degree in Communication. After teaching public speaking and speech

writing at Texas A&M University, she returned to school to become a registered nurse, practicing in Kentucky and Texas. As a nursing professor, Ms. Jefferies taught new generations of nurses at the Texas A&M University Health Science Center and at Central Texas College.  In 2014, Mistee returned to school to pursue an advanced practice degree in psychiatry and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.  At each step, she earned honors and is a member of the National Nursing Honor Society, Sigma Theta Tau. Now board certified in psychiatry, she brings her skills of medicine management and psychotherapy to the population of Hamilton and surrounding areas.

 

Sarah Beshears, Athletic Trainer

Sarah Beshears joins the Specialty Services at Hamilton Healthcare System. In the Athletic Trainer role Sarah is a certified, licensed allied healthcare professional whose primary concern is the optimal health of student athletes and physically active individuals. Her role will be as a ‘bridge’ between physicians and athletes and are responsible for providing educational and community outreach activities and athletic training services to local high schools and club team sports.

Sarah was raised in Hamilton, TX and graduated from Hamilton High School in 2013. She attended Baylor University receiving a Bachelor of Science in athletic training in May this year. Sarah worked as a student athletic trainer for Baylor and received work experience with collegiate soccer, softball, acrobatics and tumbling, football, track and field, and local high schools. Sarah is very excited to be back in Hamilton. “I wouldn’t be who I am today without this little town so I can’t wait to make a difference in people’s lives along with Hamilton Healthcare System”, stated Sarah.

Thank you to the Coryell, Hamilton, Mills and Lampasas county readers that voted in The 4-County Evant Star poll!