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COPN Charity Care Condition Provides Welcome Support

Surgery Center of Lynchburg contributes $1 million to free clinics in the southwest health planning region of Virginia

The Surgery Center of Lynchburg, which provides convenient, safe, and cost-effective alternatives to inpatient surgery and hospital outpatient surgery, made history with a recent Certificate of Public Need (COPN) charity care condition allocation of more than $1 million to the Virginia Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (VAFCC). This represents the largest, single charity care contribution in both the center's and the association's history and will fund the provision of health care services (medical, dental, mental health, and pharmaceutical) to uninsured and medically underserved patients at free clinics located in Virginia's southwest health planning region.

“We are extremely grateful for this generous contribution which will enable these clinics to give the gift of quality health care to those in need,” reports VAFCC CEO, Rufus Phillips. “The funding we receive and distribute as a result of the charity care condition attached to COPN is a vital sustaining resource for Virginia's network of free and charitable clinics.” The VAFCC, in addition to the Virginia Health Care Foundation and the Virginia Community Healthcare Association, benefit from the charity care condition attached to Virginia's Certificate of Public Need (COPN) which encourages COPN recipients to provide direct in-kind care to indigent populations or comparable financial assistance to safety net providers who provide that care.

The majority of this funding went to the Center's local clinic, the Free Clinic of Central Virginia located in downtown Lynchburg and providing high-quality medical care, dental care, pharmacy services and health education to those in their community who would otherwise go without. “The Surgery Center has been a strong partner of ours and this very generous COPN charity care allocation is a real game-changer for our neighbors who need the high-quality healthcare provided by free clinics in this region,” says Christina Delzingaro, CEO of the Free Clinic. “At a time when the Free Clinic of Central Virginia is taking care of more patients than ever, this unexpected funding from the Surgery Center will make it possible for us to serve even more – especially as we are getting ready to embark on major clinic renovations. Support of this magnitude makes a huge difference.”
 
Remaining funds were shared across the following free clinics located in the state's southwest health planning region: “These clinics are a lifesaving investment and play an important role in safeguarding our region's sickest, most vulnerable, and voiceless,” reports Tim Courville, who serves on the Board of Managers at the Center along with Drew Keirnan, Peter Caprise, Jay Burks, and Chris Thomson. “We are pleased to support clinics that allow vulnerable individuals to regain their health so they can care for their families and continue to contribute to our community.” 

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