Clinic helps patients navigate healthcare and insurance
WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – When it comes to healthcare and health insurance, it can feel overwhelming.
Trying to navigate coverage and plans can be confusing, and it’s important to know your benefits and what you’re signing up for.
Divinity Healthcare in West Point wants to help people medically, as well as help them understand their options when it comes to health insurance.
Trinity Johnson Cherry is a Family Nurse Practitioner who is passionate about healthcare and serving others.
When her great-grandmother had a stroke, she grew up watching her grandmother take care of her.
That inspired her to want to help others.
“I feel like God blessed me to be able to do what I’m doing today. And if I’m able to help somebody, I want to help,” Cherry said.
From acute illness, medical conditions, injuries, preventative care, annual exams, and other services, Cherry hopes to serve her community.
She knows health insurance is not always easily accessible to people, and many may not have it.
And when people don’t have it, they may brush off something they believe is minor, which could be something more.
“It’s important to have insurance even for preventative reasons, only because you may be the healthiest person, but sometimes you won’t find things until you go to preventative screenings,” Cherry said. “I feel like sometimes in healthcare, patients, I don’t want to say they get looked over, but if they don’t have insurance, then, you know, that kind of plays a big role.”
Sometimes, the health insurance landscape can feel like a maze.
Carol Jamison, an independent insurance broker, partnered with Divinity to help people understand insurance, know what they qualify for, and know their options based on their situation.
“It’s not a one-size-fits-all situation,” Jamison said. “So what works for person A may not work for person B. I can see my hands, I can see my feet, I can see my face. But you can’t see what’s going on internally. I would encourage everyone, it doesn’t matter how old you are. From young and old, you need to make sure you get a yearly checkup every single year.”
Cherry said that one day, she hopes to offer some services to people without insurance.
“I love health care. I love being a nurse and caring for people and, you know, being a part of their recovery, whether it be something that’s acute or chronic, to say, you know, ‘that was my nurse or that was my provider, she helped me and I couldn’t figure this out, but she was there.’ I just love to be a part of that,” Cherry said.
Cherry said they will also be working with a licensed social worker who will provide services such as parenting classes, case management, enrichment sources, and community services the patient may need.
Divinity Healthcare will host a Community Fun Day on July 19 with food, jumpers, door prizes, and information on the clinic.
