MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. \u2014 Turning Points, a Bradenton nonprofit, is providing medical and dental services to uninsured residents in Manatee County, where recent census data shows 15.1% of residents under 65 do not have health insurance.<\/p>\n
That rate is the highest among the eight counties in the Tampa Bay area, according to the data. Manatee County is the only county in the region above 14%, and its rate exceeds Florida\u2019s statewide rate of 13.7%.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Residents who don\u2019t have insurance are usually left to find other resources, if not just go without.<\/p>\n
Melissa Wentzel said she has been a patient at Turning Points for three years after getting sick and receiving a diagnosis during a weeks-long hospital stay while uninsured.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got really sick and I didn\u2019t know what to do, and found Turning Points and it has been a blessing,\u201d Wentzel said.<\/p>\n
Wentzel said a friend directed her to the clinic, where she now regularly gets checkups.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am having a lot more better days than I have bad days anymore,\u201d Wentzel said.<\/p>\n
Kathleen Cramer, CEO of Turning Points, said the organization closely monitors the uninsured rate in Manatee County. The nonprofit also offers homelessness assistance.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not terribly surprising to me,\u201d Cramer said. \u201cIt hurts my heart that there\u2019s so many people out there who are uninsured because the majority of them don\u2019t find a place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cramer said medical bills are the number one cause of bankruptcy, which is why Turning Points offers medical help as a form of prevention.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust because you are uninsured doesn\u2019t mean you should skip preventative care,\u201d Cramer said. \u201cPreventative care can catch things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Turning Points also offers dental services. Wentzel said that part of the nonprofit\u2019s care is also making a difference for her.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow I will be able to smile because I haven\u2019t smiled in many years because of my teeth, and they\u2019ve helped me,\u201d Wentzel said. \u201cAnd now I\u2019m going to have a beautiful smile again.\u201d<\/p>\n