Published: Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 2:24 p.m. Last Modified: Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 2:24 p.m.

DELAND The West Volusia Hospital Authority wants to make it easier for uninsured residents to access health care.

The five-member elected board that funds indigent care in West Volusia made several changes in its eligibility guidelines that recently took effect, but its chairman wants members to go further.

Chairman Andy Ferrari says his constituents are being locked out of mental health counseling and other vital health services because of bureaucratic red tape.

Its a really confusing mess that weve created, he said. We are trying to remove some of the barriers and make it easier to get people through.

The authoritys rolls had fallen from a high of 2,087 in August 2012 to a low of 938 in April 2014.

While its possible some of those people obtained coverage through the Affordable Care Act, several leaders of social service agencies said during a town hall meeting that paperwork requirements could also be blocking access.

They are trying to find solutions that would better serve the people, and my hope is that they use their legislation to their advantage to connect sick people to the services they need, said Dixie Morgese, executive director of the Healthy Start Coalition of Volusia and Flagler Counties.

Those seeking help must complete a 14-page application and submit proof of residency, income and assets. In addition, they must apply and be denied Medicaid and insurance through the federal health care law.

After the town hall meeting, board members modified the guidelines to allow an entire household to apply through the same application. They stopped counting student loans as income, which could disqualify cash-strapped younger residents from assistance. The board allowed the homeless to submit a homeless verification form instead of having to go through the application process for the Affordable Care Act, which would not offer them assistance.

Read the original here:

West Volusia uninsured could see smoother health care process