Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet - Help is available for emergency medical needs
By Lynn Anderson
Each day, hundreds of Johnson County residents, including many senior
adults, must make heartbreaking choices—buy groceries, pay rent and
utilities, or take care of a medical need? Rising insurance costs and
expensive prescriptions force many to seek emergency medical assistance.
Now, eligible residents seeking immediate, short-term medical care can get
the help they need—including dentures and hearing aids—through Kansas City’s
Medicine Cabinet, LLC, a program of Baptist-Trinity Lutheran Legacy
Foundation.
Besides focusing on health education and school health, the mission of
Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet is to provide support for crisis-related
medical assistance. Residents who are income-eligible can receive financial
assistance to pay for:
• Dental emergencies (including dentures)
• Diabetic supplies
• Durable medical goods (including hearing aids)
• Prescription medications (no controlled substances)
• Vision care
How to participate
To help the clients in greatest need, Medicine Cabinet participants must
have a pressing need for emergency medical assistance, and are eligible to
receive help just one time per year. The program does not cover controlled
substances; insurance co-pays, including co-pays for Medicare or Medicaid;
emergency room visits; pre-existing medical expenses; routine doctor visits;
or hospitalization.
The income guideline for each household is 200 percent of the federal
poverty level. For example, a single person must have an income of less than
$1,733 per month.
Applicants must provide a photo ID, a Social Security card, proof of income
for everyone in household, and proof of address for the past 30 days.
In Johnson County, the place to seek assistance from Kansas City’s Medicine
Cabinet is the six Outreach centers administered by the county. To ask
questions about the program or apply for help, please call for an
appointment:
Blue Valley Multi-Service Center, 913-897-3991
De Soto Multi-Service Center, 913-583-1152
Gardner Multi-Service Center, 913-856-7405
North Central Multi-Service Center, 913-715-6650
Roeland Park Community Center, 913-826-3130
Spring Hill Multi-Service Center, 913-592-2304
A legacy of health care
Since 2003, Baptist-Trinity Lutheran Legacy Foundation has focused on
improving community health in the Kansas City area. Created from the sale of
the Health Midwest system to HCA, the Legacy Foundation board felt a strong
need to carry on the traditions of the Baptist Medical Center Foundation and
the Trinity Lutheran Hospital Foundation, raising funds in support of the
health care needs of the community.
The foundation searched for areas where health care support was lacking in
the metro area and found that emergency medical assistance was the greatest
need for low-income people, those on fixed incomes, and those with little or
no insurance. Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet was launched to fill this gap.
The foundation’s support has three areas of emphasis: emergency medical
assistance, health education, and health education for neighborhood schools.
Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet continues to expand, serving ever more
families and individuals seeking crisis medical attention. With more than 85
referring agencies, and new intake sites being added regularly, the
program’s reach is increasing. Partnerships with Price Chopper, the UMKC
Dental School, and other organizations make it even more convenient and
practical for residents to find the help they need.
Baptist -Trinity Lutheran Legacy Foundation depends on the donations of
people like you to meet the health care needs of the community. Consider
making a difference through a one-time contribution, sustain donations, or a
planned estate gift. Call 816-276-7555 or visit
www.btllf.org .
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11811 S. Sunset Drive, Suite #1300
Olathe, KS 66061-7056
(913) 715-8800 : voice
(913) 715-8825 : fax
(913) 894-8822 : TTY