The Community Benefits Program of Mission Hospitals has awarded a $150,000 grant to the Buncombe County Medical Society’s Project Access for fiscal year 2011. The grant will pay for program expansion and coordination of the physician network to insure that low-income, uninsured patients in Buncombe County have access to much needed services.

Nationally recognized, Project Access was established by Buncombe County physicians in response to the health care needs of its medically underserved citizens. It’s estimated that about 44,000 or around 19% of Buncombe County’s population are uninsured. According to the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, the growth of the uninsured in the state rose from 4.7% to 9.7% between 2007 and 2009. Project Access anticipates serving over 4,000 patients this year with an estimated value of more than $14 million in donated services.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Project Access.