Georgia
Volunteer Health Care Program
The
Georgia Volunteer Health Care Program (GVHCP) was established in 2005 with the
passage of House Bill 166, the “Health Share” Volunteers in Medicine Act. This
program provides an avenue for health care professionals to provide donated
medical/dental care to the uninsured and low-income residents of Georgia while
under the protection of Sovereign Immunity (SI). The program strives to
increase access to health care for the medically indigent residents through
volunteerism and to increase health care volunteerism through the extension of
state-sponsored sovereign immunity protections to providers donating services.
As of August 1, 2006, there are 1.7 million residents who have no health
insurance.
The State
of Georgia is solely liable for any injury or damage suffered by a patient
receiving health care under the provider’s Department of Community Health (DCH)
Agreement, as long as the provider works within the scope of his/her
professional license.
The
Legislature found that a significant proportion of the residents of this state
who are uninsured and low-income or Medicaid eligible are unable to access
needed health care because providers fear an increased risk of medical
malpractice liability. It is the intent of the Legislature that access to
medical/dental care for uninsured residents be improved by providing
governmental protection to health care providers who offer donated quality
health care services to underserved populations of the state. Therefore, it is
the intent of the Legislature to ensure that health care professionals who
contract to provide such services as state employees are provided SI protection.
Licensed
health care providers who contract as “state employees” are provided SI
protection as well as the volunteers who complete the department’s paperwork.
Providers and lay volunteers who donate their time and skills to the GVHCP are
afforded the same legal protection as provided to state employees.
Patients
seeking treatment must be at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level
(FPL) and have no health or dental coverage for services being sought; or
Medicaid eligible under Georgia law, or a client of DCH or Department of Human
Resources whose income is at or below 200 percent of the FPL.
The health
care resources available are totally dependent upon who participates; therefore,
services provided vary from organization to organization.
No.
Prescriptions and laboratory services are not a mandated function of the
program. Some agencies and programs may assist a patient with these costs.
There are
no exclusions. Any agency/health care provider (faith-based and community
organizations, hospital, or individual) can participate in the program as long
as they comply with the applicable rules and regulations required in the
operation of a medical/dental clinic.
Yes.
Three acts were created to allow certain health care professionals who are
retired or licensed in another state the ability to obtain a special license in
order to volunteer in one of the free clinics. The health care provider needs
to contact the appropriate licensing board for instructions and an application.
