Posted on
(HOWARD, SD) – Horizon Health Foundation helps protect the overall wellness of your rural communities through programs supporting the quality care initiatives of Horizon Health Care.
Horizon is the farmers, grandparents, and children you meet in your local communities every day. We provide medical, dental, and behavioral health care in 22 communities to keep you and your friends and neighbors well.
The Foundation distributes 100% of donated resources to support patients through programs like these:
- Behavioral Health Care: Approximately 20% of people have a mental illness including depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. Using Horizon’s TeleHome program, patients can access behavioral health services across South Dakota. This benefits patients like Lyle who was helped on his road to sobriety by a licensed social worker at Yankton Community Health Center and Dental Services.
- Cancer Care: Nearly 1 in 4 people suffer from cancer in their lifetimes. Rates for colon cancer among younger people is on the rise. One third of cases can be cured if caught early. Our fund helps to pay for life-saving education and screenings for patients like Dave who had a family history of colorectal cancer and needed a colonoscopy. Polyps were found and removed. He credits the Foundation with prolonging his life.
- Diabetes Care: Nearly 10% of the population suffers from diabetes, with 30% of those cases going undiagnosed. Foundation resources help pay for education to reduce that number for patients like Kathy, who was diagnosed a year ago with Type 2 Diabetes. Her provider helped guide her through the process and connected her with the federal 340B program. This allows providers like Horizon to offer discounted medications to under-insured and uninsured patients. Her overall health has increased due to her provider’s intervention, education she received and her diabetes prescription.
- Smiles for Miles: The Smiles for Miles program is an initiative that provides free dental check-ups at Horizon’s eight dental locations for children five and under. Last year 171 children received a general check-up, fluoride treatment and cleaning. Statistics show 50% of kindergarteners have yet to go to the dentist and 40% of those have cavities. Poor oral health can cause behavioral changes in children that interfere with their self-esteem, social and educational goals.
- Charity Care: A large barrier to care is lack of finances, transportation, and food insecurity. These funds assist with support for those unable to pay the out-of-pocket deductible and copayments associated with their medical and dental insurance policy, despite good faith efforts to meet the financial obligations of an approved Horizon Health Care payment plan. They also provide gas and grocery cards to help those in need get to their appointments or feed their families while seeking care.
“There is no greater feeling than working with investors that want to make an impact in the lives of our patients in need,” said Foundation Executive Director Tracy Pardy. “The partnerships created in Horizons 22 communities over the past few years has helped over 2500 patients in need. Every dollar invested in these programs at Horizon removes barriers to care and impacts patient lives. We are so grateful!”
If you’d like to help, visit https://horizonhealthfoundation.com/donate to learn how you can continue keeping your community well. We’re healthcare for rural communities … for you.
About Horizon Health Foundation
The Horizon Health Foundation was established in 2016 to ensure rural health care access to those in need and provide funding for Horizon Health Care Horizon Health Foundation, a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation, seeks through responsible activities to encourage and derive sustaining gift support from current and former patients and interested friends, including corporate entities. The Horizon Health Foundation Office, operating in coordination with Horizon Health Care, is the duly designated fund-raising arm for Horizon Health Care, Inc. In the broadest sense, the purpose of the Foundation is to create an awareness of the financial needs of Horizon Health which are not provided by patient charges and to systematically implement plans by which dollar needs can be met. For more information, please visit http://www.horizonhealthfoundation.com or call 605.772.4553.