Carson Tahoe Health Helps Patients Overcome Barriers to Care

Need help with health insurance, finances, or transportation to appointments? Carson Tahoe Health will work with you to ensure you have access to quality healthcare.

Everyone needs to go to the doctor on occasion, whether for routine checkups, chronic conditions, or more serious health problems. Paying for healthcare and navigating health insurance coverage, however, can sometimes make these visits more difficult than they should be.

“The most common healthcare barrier our team encounters in an acute care setting involves a patient’s personal finances or health insurance limitations,” says Karen Durbin, BSN, MBA, Director of Integrated Care at Carson Tahoe Health. “We have a close relationship with insurance companies. We can help patients navigate their plans and determine what is and isn’t covered to make things easier for them.”

For Medicare and personal finance questions, Carson Tahoe can direct patients to internal financial counselors who can help them find the answers they’re looking for. The Patient Financial Services Department can also work with patients to come up with affordable payment plans. Uninsured patients may receive a 30-percent discount on bills.

Point A to Point B

Older patients or those who aren’t able to drive may need help getting to the doctor’s office for their healthcare visits.

“We will work with community transportation services for all of our patients and link them to available resources. Specific patient populations have access to transportation benefits through their health insurance,” Durbin says. “Depending on a patient’s ability to travel, we can also work with local community agencies to help them—for example, if they need physical assistance getting onto a bus or into a car.”

Patients from out of town who require cancer treatments can also lodge in the Merriner Cottages located on the Carson Tahoe Medical Campus. These cottages are free for qualified patients and allow families to stay together while facing cancer, without the added burden of hotel costs.

“We’re here to help,” Durbin says. “We want patients to be comfortable and transition back to their lives as seamlessly as possible.”

Be Well

The Health & Wellness Institute at Carson Tahoe Health helps local residents learn more about preventive healthcare and steps they can take toward a healthier lifestyle. Classes on cooking, nutrition, and exercise are available at little to no cost to the community.

Additionally, the HealthCheck Program gives community members access to affordable lab screenings with or without a doctor’s referral. HeartSmart screenings are also available at a low cost in both spring and fall.

Call (775) 445-7550 for assistance with health-related finances or transportation to medical appointments.