Orange County

Low Income Primary Care Access

Summary of Information:

Low Income Population: 31,157 (at or below 200% FPL, 1998)

Regular full time equivalency: 24.8

Full time equivalents serving the low-income population: 4.1

Ratio of low-income population to low-income FTE: 7,599:1

Considered a shortage of providers: Yes, Low Income HPSA designated 7/00

Physicians accepting new patients: 89%

Physicians accepting new patients who have Medicaid coverage: 44%

Physicians who can provide interpretation for non-English speaking patients: 32%

Languages: Spanish, Taiwanese, Chinese, Cantonese, Philippino, Korean, and Hindi

*Surveys completed 3/00

Community Input:

Orange County’s major employers are primarily chemical or industrial plants, e.g., Dupont, North Star Steel Texas, Chevron Chemical, etc. There are two local hospitals in Orange: Baptist Hospital, which was recently purchased by Memorial Hermman, and Tower Medical Center. The Gulf Coast Health Center (non-profit) in Orange serves a high percentage of both insurance and uninsured/indigent populations. Some families choose to use the local hospitals and physicians primarily in Beaumont (Jefferson County).

Prepared by Community Health Provider Resources, Texas Department of Health, as part of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation East Texas Rural Access Program; Spring 2001