Fort Bragg Lions Eye Care Assistance Program and our requirements.
We can assist patients who:
- Do not have Insurance and are unable to pay for their exam and/or glasses. They will be required to fill out a request form PRIOR to approval of any kind.
- If patient is a MINOR, PARENTS must fill out and sign the request form. We do not accept request forms filled out by an agency without WRITTEN PARENTAL/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE AND CONSENT.
- Have partial assistance through CMSP or their Insurance.
- Permanent residents on the Northern Mendocino Coast (Westport to Elk). They must have a physical address on the Northern Mendocino Coast. At this time, we cannot accept applications from patients who are transient and/or have lived on the Mendocino Coast for less than 1 year.
We can only provide financial assistance towards:
- Regular exam
- Basic eye glasses. We are now following the same standards as the VSP assistance program and will only provide assistance for Altair Frames.
We do not provide financial assistance for:
- High end fashion style glasses or transition (sunglasses).
- Patients who can pay towards part of the exam and/or glasses. Example: Patient can pay $200 towards a $400 pair of high end glasses. Although, patients who can pay towards basic eye glasses and a regular exam will be considered on a case-by-case basis, based on their need.
- If Insurance was not billed first. We need verification of denial.*Note*, Medi-Cal provides an exam and glasses for Minors. Parents must show denial from Medi-Cal.
- Patients who have lived on the Northern Mendocino Coast for less than 1 year.
We can only provide eye care assistance once every 2 years for patients.
For patients requiring emergency surgery:
The Fort Bragg Lions are members of the Lions Eye Foundation and patients can receive emergency surgery at California Pacific Medical Center's Eye Clinic in San Francisco. These patients must not have any insurance and financially must qualify. Screening for qualifying is done through Jennifer Salyer, at the Mendocino Coast Clinics. The Fort Bragg Lions sign-off as the Patient’s Sponsoring Lions Club.
For Agencies who wish to refer a patient and/or minor, we MUST be contacted by the patient (or the parent) directly. They may email fblions@mcn.org and we will mail them a request form. They are to fill out the form and send back to FORT BRAGG LIONS EYECARE CHAIRMAN P.O. Box 1547, Fort Bragg, CA 95437.
Where we would very much like to help everyone who requests assistance, it is impossible to serve everyone. Please understand we are a non-profit organization, with limited financial resources, doing the best we can to help those who are permanent residents that live and work in our communities.
We are a volunteer organization and have full-time employment. Requests can take up to 7 days to process. Thank you, in advance, for your patience and understanding that we do the best we can do.
Fort Bragg-Mendocino Lions
and
Leo Clubs
P.O. Box 1547
Fort Bragg, CA 95437
Our Motto
"We Serve"
