New partnership offers affordable health care for OBX food service workers

By Maggie Milles at OuterBanksVoice.com

According to the Community Care Clinic of Dare (CCCD), restaurant workers are among the most likely to forgo health care due to difficulties obtaining affordable insurance and the high cost of medical services.

To address this issue, CCCD has partnered with the Outer Banks Restaurant Association (OBRA) to provide affordable health care for uninsured and underinsured food-service workers in Dare County through its Employers 4 Care program.

CCCD is a local nonprofit that provides health care to eligible Dare County residents, regardless of their ability to pay. Launched in 2023, Employers 4 Care offers local business owners a low-cost way to provide health care for their employees.

“We started it as a tactic, for lack of a better word, to get our local businesses more involved with the clinic,” said Lyn Jenkins, CCCD’s executive director.

She explained that while the tourism industry supports thousands of jobs in Dare County, many are low-wage positions, and with the high cost of living in the Outer Banks, many workers must choose between paying rent, covering other bills, or seeking medical care.

“It’s really a choice between putting food on the table and going to the doctor,” Jenkins said.

At the same time, the cost for employers to provide health insurance through the marketplace is expensive. Even if restaurant owners cover part of the monthly premium, many insurance plans have high deductibles, leaving employees to pay most of their medical costs out of pocket.

Andrea Sullivan, president of OBRA and general manager at The Jolly Roger Restaurant, has seen firsthand how these challenges prevent many workers from seeking medical care. According to her, high turnover rates also make it difficult for restaurants to manage paperwork and get employees enrolled in health insurance.

“So we thought, what is a way we can get support from our local community, reach the people who need our services, and raise awareness while also providing a benefit for employers to offer it to their staff?” Jenkins said.

Any restaurant owner who is an OBRA member—or signs up for OBRA membership—receives a $250 discount on the Employers 4 Care program. CCCD typically requests a $1,750 annual donation fee for participation, but with the OBRA discount, the cost is reduced to $1,500.

For restaurants that are not yet OBRA members, the membership fee is $250, meaning that with the Employers 4 Care discount, they effectively receive their OBRA membership at no additional cost. This membership is beneficial because OBRA provides additional benefits to its members.

For the annual fee, restaurant employees gain access to unlimited visits, lab work, health education, and chronic disease management, ensuring they receive essential medical services at no cost for as long as they work at a participating restaurant. Patients also benefit from low-cost or free medications, as well as specialist referrals for diagnostic services, including X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs, and CT scans. Physical therapy sessions are offered for a requested $20 donation.

Additionally, CCCD offers referrals for dental services that will be charged on a sliding fee scale based on income. Beyond medical care, the clinic provides social determinants of health assessments, helping patients access resources for food insecurity, housing, transportation, and employment to address their overall well-being.

According to both Jenkins and Sullivan, mental health disorders are another major concern for restaurant workers. The industry’s physical demands, long hours, and high-pressure environment can take a significant mental toll.

“I can tell you that in this industry, you get beat up a lot… by customers, by each other,” Sullivan said. “It’s very stressful, especially in the on-season, with the influx of visitors we have. It’s a lot, and it’s a hard job. People don’t even realize, if you’ve never worked in the industry, it is not for weak-minded people.”

In addition to mental health care services, CCCD offers free or low-cost mental health medications, which Jenkins said typically cost upwards of $1,500 per month. Patients can access these medications at no cost or, if they are able, for a small donation of $5 to $10.

CCCD is part of the North Carolina Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NCAFCC), a statewide network of 69 member clinics. Recently, NCAFCC partnered with Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit organization, to expand health care access for uninsured food-service workers across North Carolina.

“It’s going to be great…I think it’s been a long time coming. It’s definitely been needed,” Sullivan said. And for now, she emphasized that the biggest priority is spreading the word to restaurants across Dare County.

“It’s really about getting the word out that, hey, we have this. We donate this. This is a service that you have when you come work for us.”