By Mario Carr EBS CONTRIBUTOR
Founded in 2023, Big Sky Bandage is a new healthcare assistance program that provides medical care reimbursements of up to $500 per winter season to local employees and residents of Big Sky who are uninsured or experiencing financial hardship.
Amy Vance is a nurse practitioner who began working at the Bozeman Health B2 Urgent Care clinic at Big Sky Resort last year. She started the program after noticing the need to support uninsured or underinsured people in the community who have experienced medical emergencies or unexpected bills. She said she was “disheartened” to see people struggling with the cost of medical bills. Reimbursements can be used on acute medical care provided by the Bozeman Health B2 Urgent Care clinics on the mountain, Mountain Pearls Dentistry, Big Sky Eyes, and the Big Sky Medical Center.
Community members can seek up to $500 in reimbursement for care received in Big Sky after Nov. 1 2023, or can have Big Sky Bandage pay the bill directly on their behalf. Vance said that after receiving a patient’s bill, Big Sky Bandage aims to get a check sent out that same week.
“Our goal is that people could do it on their phone in less than five minutes,” Vance said. “The last thing people need is like 10,000 forms… Really the only qualification is that you live or work in Big Sky and have some financial need… You just check a box and you get up to $500 for any acute-care need in Big Sky.”
Vance emphasized the importance that community members respect the “honor system” when submitting for aid. To receive aid, patients must submit a picture of their medical bill from the covered local provider, and testimony that they live or work in Big Sky and are underinsured or uninsured.
Big Sky Bandage launched with administrative support from Big Sky Rotary, and financial donations from Moonlight Community Foundation, Yellowstone Club Community Foundation, and Spanish Peaks Community Foundation.
“There’s no overhead. 100% of the money received will go to patients,” she said.
Since the launch of the program on Nov. 1, 2023, Vance estimates that the fund has already helped pay 60 different bills. Big Sky Bandage is a program operated under the nonprofit Big Sky Rotary, and Vance said that they were able to get this program up and running very quickly. She is confident that the lump sum donations Big Sky Bandage received from the YCCF, MCF and SPCF will get them through this winter season, even with increased use of the program.
“We like to see ourselves as community builders and ‘fillers of gaps’ in the community. When there’s a need, we try to step in,” Laura Seyfang, Big Sky Rotary secretary, told EBS on a phone call about Big Sky Bandage. Seyfang said that starting a nonprofit can take more than 18 months and be very expensive. Under the umbrella of Big Sky Rotary, Big Sky Bandage can accept donations and keep that money in its own bank account, with checks to patients being paid out by Big Sky Rotary.
“We want people to be healthy and well here in Big Sky, and we want to be part of helping them accomplish that,” Seyfang said.
Vance hopes word will spread about Big Sky Bandage so that patients are not delaying treatment they may need due to financial worries.
“That is why we picked $500. Urgent-Care-wise, that pretty much covers—it’s not universal—but it pretty much covers you,” Vance said.
She also hopes to see Big Sky Bandage eventually cover other services in the community.
“There are other organizations who are doing great things for mental health and such… And we would love to combine efforts with these groups,” Vance said.
She was intentional with the creation of the fund’s name.
“We named it Big Sky Bandage because we know it’s not a fix to our healthcare system but we figured we should take care of our own.”
Gratitude from early patients
Vance provided a few testimonials from patients that have benefited from Big Sky Bandage. All names and specific details regarding treatment have been redacted for privacy, and each quote is from a different patient.
“Big Sky is a great place to learn and grow, but very challenging to financially establish myself, so having assistance with this bill will take one matter off my plate that is currently a stressor,” wrote one.
“I’m grateful for any help, it truly is a blessing. Thank you. The application process is simple,” wrote another.
“Living in Big Sky is expensive and medical bills are an added, often unforeseen cost on top of normal living expenses. Thank you for any help you can provide.”
“This program helps me because I am a current seasonal worker in Big Sky and being sick and having a large bill was not on my budget and this helps me a lot.”
