Shriners Hospitals provide free healthcare to some Georgia children
By Diana Royal dianar@thetruecitizen.com

For a community that loves (and gives to) its Shriners, the news couldn't have hit closer to home.

Shriners Hospitals made a deal with the State of Georgia last week to provide free healthcare coverage for children enrolled in the PeachCare for Kids program - and local Shriner Jimmy Allen made the trip to Greenville, S.C., to sign that agreement.

Now, approximately 500 Georgia children with orthopedic conditions, burn or spinal cord injuries and those needing cleft lip and palate repair will be able to receive treatment in one of three Shriners Hospitals' locations: Greenville, S.C., Tampa, Fla., or Cincinnati, Ohio.

The partnership is one that benefits both the state and the Shriners' mission.

PeachCare has already faced a shortfall in federal funding, and with the Shriners offering specialty services at no charge to the program, funds will be freed up - and the state could save up to $1.3 million annually.

For the Shriners, Allen says the exposure will only help in educating the public about their hospitals.

"This really lets people know our story and what we're about," he said. "We do give free hospital care to the kids who need it, and now this partnership will give even more opportunities to those who may not have even known about us."

In a press release, Gov. Sonny Perdue expressed his gratitude.

"We are grateful to Shriners Hospitals for their generosity and their willingness to partner with us as we seek to provide the highest quality health care possible for Georgia's children," he said.

The Shriners Hospitals is a group of 22 hospitals, including three burn centers, dedicated to providing free healthcare for qualifying children up to 18 years old, regardless of their financial needs.

The PeachCare program began providing healthcare coverage to uninsured children in 1999. As of January, there were 234,720 children enrolled in the program.