New health care center caters to uninsured, Medicaid patients

Aug. 18--LIMA -- A new health care center that caters to uninsured patients and those on Medicaid is now open at Lima Memorial Health System.

Community Health Services, located at Professional Building II on the Lima Memorial campus, opened earlier this month and is accepting patients, regardless of their income or health care coverage. CHS accepts Medicaid, including all Medicaid Managed Care plans, Medicare, traditional insurance and self-pay patients.

A sliding fee scale is offered based on family size and income. Jeff Liszak, CEO of Community Health Services, said families who fall in the 100 percent of poverty bracket -- an annual income of $20,160 for a family of three -- may also have their fee waived.

"We provide care for those who have a difficult time affording that care and accessing that care," Liszak said. "It's been our mission for almost 50 years."

Liszak added that patient care coordinators will also provide secondary services, such as transportation to and from appointments.

"It's very important for us to work with the whole Lima community so everyone has access to these services," he said.

CHS is a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides a full range of services, including medical, dental and behavioral health care. At the CHS center in Lima Memorial, medical care is the only service that's provided , while dental care is contracted out to another practice. However, Liszak said more services could be added if the demand is there.

The health care center employs two providers, both of whom are from the region. Dr. Bonnie McNamara is a family practice physician and a Lima native. She is board certified, and has more than 20 years experience serving patients in the Lima area. Jeff Remaklus, a native of Ottawa, is a family nurse practitioner with experience working in hospitals and medical offices throughout Ohio.

"I've always had a heart for serving people that really need care here in this community," McNamara said. "There's really a great need in this area for primary care, and I'm just glad to meet that need."

It was the need for primary care that led CHS to Lima in the first place, Liszak said.

"There were a lot of folks using the ER that didn't have primary care, so as a Federally Qualified Health Center, we want to provide that care to the community," he said, adding that patients without a primary care provider in Lima numbered in the thousands. "It was really based on a great need in the community."

Since opening in early August, Liszack said the CHS at Lima Memorial has been busy.

"We have never opened an office that has taken off as quickly as this office," he said. "The fist day we had 54 patients. ... It was unbelievable."

CHS, headquartered in Fremont, operates in nine medical offices in six counties. Founded in 1968, it is the oldest rural FQHC in Ohio. It is also accredited by the Joint Commission and as a Primary Care Medical Home.

To learn about CHS or to request an appointment, call 419-998-8250 or visit fremontchs.com.

Reach John Bush at 567-242-0456 or on Twitter @bush_lima.

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