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Posted: 8:00 PM Jun 19, 2008
Program for the Needy Closes Doors
The problem is state budget cuts are closing two local Homeplace doors.
Reporter: Randy Yohe Email Address: randy.yohe@wsaz.com |
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14 Comments 
GRAYSON, Ky (WSAZ) -- "The neediest of the needy,” is what directors of the Kentucky Homeplace Program call their thousands of clients.
The state-funded health care program saves those needy people millions of dollars.
The problem is state budget cuts are closing two local Homeplace doors.
Now, some people must now choose between medicine and food.
Between Linda and Gene Horton’s heart conditions, thyroid and diabetes problems, the retired couple would spend about $1,200 of their $1,500 a month income on medications.
These are a few of the about 1,300 clients served by the Carter and Elliott County Homeplace offices.
The program pinpoints poverty families with help for treating diabetes, heart conditions and cancer.
“There are no eligibility requirements,” Janet Kegley, director of KY Homplace, said. “And we also help the working poor who do not have insurance.”
The two offices help their clients get nearly five million dollars in free prescriptions every year.
Because Carter and Elliott were down three workers, state program directors chose to close these high referral offices.
For Jessie and Caney Boggs, Finley Wolfe and Ruth Baier, they’re paying more than half their monthly fixed incomes on meds. The program shut down may just shut down their will to live.
“We can't afford the medicine, we'll have to let it go,” Jessie Boggs, a client, said.
“They're always there, on time, every first of the month,” Finley Wolfe, another client, said.
“This means peoples lives,” Ruth Baier, another client, said.
Local Homeplace directors are now pleading with their state representatives for something to avoid the July 1st termination date.
“But there's always hope,” Boggs said.
However, that hope is fading fast. Hope that this desperately needed open health program to help the neediest of the needy will not close its doors forever.
Besides medication, the Homeplace program helps with necessities like eye care, hearing aids and dentures.
Latest Comments
This is sad. Our country should provide health care for our citizens. Health care in the United States ranks very low. People should always have the medicines they need, eyeglasses to see and teeth to chew food.
if i were these people,and on life saving medications,i would go to th emergency room and be seen ,they will pay for your medication thru their charity programs if you cant afford it,also for someone who dosent have any income or medical insurance they have programs at the clinics,they are called sliding fee scale,my son is seen at one and he pays 10.00 for an office visit,im talking about the clinics in ky.may god bless you people and our government get with the program and start helping its OWN before helping other countrys.
I hope the towns don't arrest any of these people, if they take change out of their water fountians,where people throw their change, like they did the man with $2.74 in his POCKETS in WEST VIRGINIA!
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