The city of Jacksonville has fully launched a new healthcare program designed to connect uninsured individuals with physicians virtually. l National Cancer Institute via Unsplash.
Published on October 7, 2024 at 4:23 pm
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A new program in the city of Jacksonville aims to connect uninsured individuals with physicians for nonemergency needs.
The program is called Healthlink Jax. It’s a free, virtual health service that will be available to residents 24/7.
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City officials said the program will allow the roughly 100,000 uninsured people in the county to find a physician for nonemergency needs like urinary tract infections, skin infections and lower back pain, just to name a few examples.
Uninsured individuals can call 904-925-CARE (2273) to receive a text link that will connect them virtually with a physician who will help them with medical questions, illness treatments, prescription refills or preventive care.
The program will free uninsured individuals from going to the emergency room for non-emergency treatments, officials said.
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The city’s chief health officer, Dr. Sunil Joshi, said 48% of uninsured adults who have been to an emergency room at least once in a year have been treated for a minor illness. The data comes Jax Care Connect, a joint collaboration to help uninsured adults find primary care.
“We’re helping families get the care they need, when they need it, without the burden of navigating the emergency room and paying those high costs that are associated with them,” Joshi said. “By doing so, we are alleviating pressure on our local hospitals and emergency rooms, helping ensure emergency resources are available for the people who truly need emergency care.”
Joshi said the average cost for an uninsured individual to get treated for a minor illness at an emergency room is $1,500 to $3,300 depending on the illness. He said the new service could save that person several thousand of dollars.
The program also will save the city and medical providers money, he said.
The city helps pay medical providers for uncompensated care when an uninsured individual goes to an emergency room. Joshi estimates the Healthlink Jax program could save the city and taxpayers from $30 million to $40 million annually.
This new program will run concurrently with the Get Covered Jax campaign, which aims to sign up uninsured individuals for health insurance through the health care marketplace.
For more information on Healthlink Jax, go to Jacksonville.gov/healthlinkjax.
