Verdant Health Commission has been a long time funder of Project Access Northwest to ensure that uninsured and underinsured South Snohomish County residents have access to essential health care services, including specialty, medical, dental, and behavioral health services.

Local resident Claudia A. experienced extreme sticker shock when her primary care provider strongly recommended she get a colonoscopy to determine if polyps in her colon were cancerous. With a family history of similar diagnoses, she was anxious to have the procedure. But as an uninsured patient, she found the out-of-pocket cost – anywhere from $1,200-$4,800 – prohibitive.

“There was no way I could pay it,” she said. “The doctor at SeaMar said, ‘You do not need to worry, we can connect you with Project Access Northwest – they will help you get the care you need.’ I am so very thankful for Project Access Northwest.”

And that’s exactly what happened: Project Access Northwest (PANW) referred Claudia to an oncologist and she received a colonoscopy at no charge.

The polyps were benign.

“I’m so happy to say thank you for the help,” said a relieved and grateful Claudia, adding that she can now enjoy “the simple things with my grandkids” – ages 12 and 9.

Claudia is one of thousands of uninsured and underinsured individuals in King, Kitsap and Snohomish counties who have received crucial medical care through PANW since its founding in 2006. The organization connects uninsured and vulnerable people to specialty medical services, like cardiology, orthopedics and mental health support.

“Our mission is to improve community health by connecting those most vulnerable to vital health care services,” said President and CEO Gary Renville. “And our vision is that everyone in our community has access to health care services.”

PANW’s Care Coordination program matches prescreened patients like Claudia with volunteer medical providers, ensuring they receive compassionate, timely, high-quality care at no cost. The program also provides transportation guidance, maps and appointment reminders to ensure that patients have what they need to get to their medical appointments.

In Claudia’s case, she had questions about the pre-procedure preparations. “She asked, ‘Where do I get the products before [my colonoscopy], what do I do, how do I take them?,’” said Andrea Castell, registered nurse and co-founder of Project Access Northwest. “There are just all kinds of care. Care and concern. And that is one of the greatest features of Project Access Northwest – that tender loving care.”

By removing barriers to specialty health care, Project Access Northwest continues to improve health outcomes and creates a more equitable health care system for Washington’s most vulnerable populations. In South Snohomish County, many low-income and uninsured residents face significant barriers to medical care, such as financial constraints, logistical challenges and documentation when seeking treatment for chronic or acute conditions. Through its network of nearly 2,400 volunteer health care providers and regional hospital systems, Project Access Northwest has facilitated over 67,000 individual appointments since its founding.