Pediatric healthcare provider receives grants

Lewisville-based PediPlace, a pediatric non-profit healthcare organization, has received two grants totaling $141,000 from HCA North Texas Division sponsored by the Medical Center of Lewisville and Medical City Children’s Hospital.

The grants will allow for 2,000 additional office visits yearly and provide access to health care and medical homes for 500 more uninsured and Medicaid and CHIP eligible North Texas children, PediPlace officials said.

PediPlace was also awarded a $50,000 matching grant for electronic health record implementation.

“HCA, Medical Center of Lewisville and Medical City Children’s Hospitals’ generosity extends PediPlace’s ability to provide quality primary healthcare services to hundreds more uninsured and underinsured children in North Texas who lack access to care” said Larry Robins, Executive Director of PediPlace.

“This collaboration between hospitals and PediPlace is a local solution to a significant community need. Together we keep kids healthy with preventive care, freeing up emergency rooms for true emergencies. Expanding access to primary care directly improves health and positively impacts educational outcomes and business productivity.”

Texas leads the nation in uninsured children with 23 percent, or almost one out of four, without coverage. These children are from working families who earn too much for public benefits but are unable to afford accessible insurance plans. 

In addition, the sluggish economy is exacerbating the issue with more middle class workers finding their benefits cut or losing their jobs. The healthcare options for the uninsured or those receiving public benefits are extremely limited with very few providers in North Texas who accept Medicaid and Children’s Health insurance program, or uninsured patients, PediPlace officials said.

Established in 1994, PediPlace provides affordable primary care to 6,000 uninsured and underinsured children yearly in more than 22,000 office visits.  Services include: treatment for asthma and other chronic illnesses, acute illness, preventive and well child care, specialty referrals and vision and hearing screenings. For more information, visit www.pediplace.org.