During the past several years South Carolina, like many states, has been faced with decreased budgets, a tough economy for employers and employees, and an increase in the medically uninsured. It was an opportune time for the South Carolina Department of Insurance to look for creative coverage options for the medically uninsured.
In late 1992 the Department of Insurance was awarded a state-planning grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services in the amount of $1.2 million. This grant was intended to collect and analyze data that will enable South Carolina to recommend initiatives designed to expand access to affordable health care coverage based on state specific data on the uninsured. Data Collection, managed by the SC Department of Insurance and the SC Office of Research and Statistics, included a Household Survey, Employer Survey, Utilization Survey, Focus Groups and Key Informant Interviews.
To insure that the grant project had input from all appropriate and interested parties, the Health Insurance Policy Advisory Committee (HIPAC) was created. HIPAC was tasked to analyze the data and help develop and design strategies that will reduce the number of uninsured by improving access to health insurance coverage. HIPAC was chaired by the Department of Insurance Grant Project Manager, Viki Fox. An alphabetical list of the other HIPAC members and their companies/agencies is listed below. We appreciate all of their hard work on this meaningful project.
The Honorable Thomas Alexander, South Carolina Senate
Mac Bennett, Central Carolina Community Foundation
Tom Brown, Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital
Thomas Churan, Clemson University
Michael Crino, Clemson University
Joe Davenport, Davenport Diversified Consultants
Christopher Dixon, SC Primary Health Care Association
Charles Duke, Clemson University
Larry Fernandez, Department of Health and Human Services
Michael Fields, National Federation of Independent Business
Casey Fitts, M.D., Tri-County Project Care
Gwen Fuller, SC Department of Insurance
Erin Hardwick, SC Association of the Non-Profit Organizations
Brenda Hart, Senate Finance Committee
Jim Hart, SC Managed Care Alliance
Jim Head, SC Hospital Association
Frank Knapp, SC Small Business Chamber of Commerce
Kelly Danias, SC Medical Association
Melanie Matney, Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital
Tambra Medley, SC Hospital Association
Bob Oldendick, Institute for Public Service and Policy Research
David Patterson, Office of Research and Statistics
Brandolyn Thomas Pinkston, SC Department of Consumer Affairs
Ann Roberson, SC Department of Insurance
Tim Rogers, House Ways and Means Committee
Frank Rupp, Tri-County Project Care
Linda Sharkey, Department of Health and Human Services
Ken Shull, SC Hospital Association
Rob Smith, House Labor, Commerce and Insurance Committee
The Honorable Daniel Tripp, South Carolina Representative
Ken Trogden, Communicare
Mary Tyrell, Office of Research and Statistics
Sue Walton, Senate Banking and Insurance Committee
Regina West, Senate Finance Committee
Tim Wilkes, SC Small Business Chamber of Commerce
Lathran Woodward, SC Primary Health Care Association