08/26/2026
Sharing an OCO Success Story: A Brand New Outlook
A young man from Guatemala came to work on the same farm every summer. He had health insurance, but he did not know how to use it, which doctor to call, or how to speak English. That's when he met with OCO's In-Person Assistor & Navigator (IPAN) Program for help.
He had an eye condition called pterygium, or eye shields, where skin grew around the eye to protect it from wind and dirt. He wanted his eyes looked at and felt he needed glasses. IPAN helped him make an appointment at Visionworks.
At the visit, the doctor said the eye shields were common, normal, and not bad. She prescribed him glasses. The worker learned that he had failed a driver's license eye test in Guatemala, but he would now be able to pass it with his new glasses.
On the drive home, he shared that a doctor in Guatemala had told him he could go blind or die without treatment, which was about $2,000. He did not have the money and had been horribly worried. He was happy to learn he was not going blind, his vision could be fixed with glasses, and the condition was not as serious as he thought.
He thanked the worker for visiting and said having insurance was totally useless if you did not know how to use it. He was grateful that the program existed to help.
To find out more about IPAN and how they can help you navigate health insurance, call 315-342-0888, option 8 or go to https://www.oco.org/services/health/health-insurance-assistance-ipan/
Disclaimer: Success story was originally shared in June 2023.
