The program for patients without insurance began five years ago, when Pain Management Center in Lone Oak Partner/Owner Dr. Laxmaiah Manchikanti introduced Bowers and Paul. In the last five years Paul has made two trips a year to Paducah to perform free surgeries. It is Bowers that chooses the patients.
"I have a lot of patients who just come through the office for regular exams and really don't know about this and they have cataracts. They're diagnosed and I discuss with them, when I find out they don't have insurance, if they would like to be part of this program. Pretty much everybody says, 'yes'." Bowers said.
Although the Republican National Convention is happening this week, Paul says that he would rather be here in Kentucky doing work to help people simply because it is more rewarding than politics.
"It's more immediately realizable you know. There's probably nothing that compares to seeing the look on someone's face when they can see again. And politics is a little more indirect and frustrating frankly because we talk a lot, and sometimes don't get the problems fixed." Paul said.
Senator Paul also said he will support the medicaid waiver that Governor Matt Bevin plans to submit to the federal government. Paul said, "I think its important that we have enough money to take care of those that can't take care of themselves. If 80 percent of Kentucky is on that list, it will overwhelm the system. There won't be enough money. So I don't think I would look at it as we want to take away something. We want to have enough money to take care of those that can't take care of themselves."
