Extending the REACH of health coverage: a program for the uninsured in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

The Anne Arundel County Department of Health, in Maryland, is expanding access to care for the uninsured through the development of the Residents Access to a Coalition of Health (REACH) program. The goals of REACH, developed in collaboration with the county medical society, are to improve the quality of health care, decrease unnecessary hospitalizations, and reduce usage of emergency room services among county residents who are ages 19 to 64. This is accomplished through a voluntary network of partners who have formally agreed to accept discounted fees for services. Over 3,200 county residents with a network of 400 providers and three hospitals have received over 4.8 million US dollars of uncompensated care since the program's inception in 1999.