Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Awards Grants to 47 Free Health Clinics

DETROIT, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is awarding free clinics throughout the state a total of $1 million in grants that will provide health services to individuals and families without health insurance. With the Michigan unemployment rate currently at 15.3 percent more Michigan residents than ever are going without health insurance.

"In these difficult times, free clinics are putting health care in reach for people who need it," said Lynda Rossi, Blues vice president for Social Mission and Public Affairs. "Free clinics are a place for uninsured people to turn to for quality health care. Uninsured residents who get care in free clinics often otherwise would delay seeing a physician because of the cost. Delay often leads to more expensive care in emergency rooms and even hospital stays."

The Blues have contributed $5 million to free clinics since 2005. This year's grant program aims to help clinics provide important services like primary care and behavioral health care, case management, dental services, specialty and diagnostic care, and prescription drugs.

"Most of our patients are dealing with one or more long-term diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma," said Dave Law, executive director of the Joy-Southfield Health and Education Center in Detroit. "We also supplement our primary care with preventive health education and disease management strategies."

About 2.5 million Michigan residents under 65 years old went without health insurance at some time between 2007 and 2008. Many of these individuals, along with the underinsured, are able to seek medical care from these clinics instead of making a trip to the emergency room or forgoing care. Access to free clinics also helps curb the rising cost of health care. In 2008, Michigan free clinics were able to provide an estimated 122,000 patient visits combined.

"With this grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan we will be able to expand our scope and quality of services while using health information technology to efficiently measure health outcomes. As a result, we will be able to deliver high-quality, low-cost health care to our patients at no cost to them," said Law.

The following free clinics received a grant from the Blues this year:

Southeast Michigan

• Brownstown Twp. - Wyandotte Clinic for the Working Uninsured, 23050 West Rd., Suite 260, 734-365-3560
• Detroit - HUDA Clinic, 1605 W. Davison Ave., 313-865-8446
• Detroit - Joy-Southfield Health and Education Center, 18917 Joy Rd., 313-581-7773
• Detroit - Order of Malta Medical/Dental Clinic, 4860 15th St., 313-894-2240
• Detroit - St. Frances Cabrini Clinic, 1234 Porter St., 313-961-7863
• Detroit - University of Detroit Mercy Counseling Clinic, 4001 W. McNichols, 313-993-1093
• Mt. Clemens - Mt. Clemens Regional Medical Center Medical Outreach Clinic, 1000 Harrington Blvd., 586-493-8000
• Pontiac - Gary Burnstein Community Health Clinic, 90 W. University, 248-758-1690
• Pontiac - Mercy Place Clinic, 55 Clinton Street, 248-333-0840
• Southfield - Tri-County Dental Health Council, 29350 Southfield Rd., Suite 35, 248-559-7767
• Warren - St. John Community Health, 28000 Dequindre, 586-753-1484
• West Bloomfield - Project Chessed (Jewish Family Services), 6555 W. Maple Rd., 248-592-2300
• Westland - Project H, Wayne County Family Center, 30600 Michigan Ave.
• Ypsilanti - Hope Dental Clinic, 9 S. Adams, 734-481-0111
  

Mid-Michigan

• Brighton - VINA Community Dental Center, 400 E. Grand River Ave., 810-844-0240
• Hillsdale - St. Peter's Free Clinic of Hillsdale County Inc., 3 N. Broad St., 517-437-4041
• Jackson - St. Luke's Clinic, 132 Seymour Ave., 517-783-1117
• Lansing - Care Free Medical & Dental, 5135 S. Pennsylvania Ave., 517-887-5992
• Pinckney - Faith Medical Clinic, 122 Howell St., 734-474-4627
  

Flint/Tri-Cities

• Essexville - Helen M. Nickless Volunteer Clinic, 1460 W. Center Rd., 989-895-4830
• Flint - Genesee County Free Medical Clinic, 2437 Welch Blvd., 810-235-4211
• Lapeer - Loving Hands Clinic, 148 Maple Grove Rd., 810-667-8933
• Saginaw - Cathedral Mental Health Care, 705 Hoyt Ave., 989-759-3356
• Saginaw - Community Prescription Support Program, 401 Holden St., 989-907-5602
• Saginaw - Healthy Futures of St. Mary's of Michigan, 2215 N. Center Rd., 989-907-8108
  

West Michigan

• Allegan - Seeds of Grace, 311 ½ Hubbard St., 269-288-0253
• Battle Creek - Nursing Clinic of Battle Creek, 34 Green St., 269-962-6565
• Coldwater - Presbyterian Health Clinic of Branch County, 15 Church St., 517-278-7848
• Grand Rapids - Catherine's Care Center, 224 Carrier NE, 616-336-8800
• Grand Rapids - Health Intervention Services, 15 Andre SE, 616-475-8446
• Grand Rapids - Oasis of Hope Center, 522 Leonard St. NW, 616-451-8868
• Grand Rapids - Project Access, 233 E. Fulton, Suite 226, 616-459-1111
• Hastings - Barry Community Free Clinic, 1230 W. State St., 269-945-4444
• Holland - Holland Free Health Clinic, 99 W. 26th St., 616-392-3610
• Kalamazoo - Free Clinic of Kalamazoo, 2918 Portage St., 269-344-0044
• Marshall - Fountain Clinic, 111 N. Jefferson, 269-781-0952
• Three Rivers - Riverside Health Clinic, 207 E. Michigan Ave., 269-273-3744
• Zeeland - City on a Hill Ministries Health Clinic, 100 S. Pine St., Suite 140, 616-748-6009
  

Northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula

• Big Rapids - Hope House Free Medical Clinic, 15085 220th Ave., 231-796-0807
• Cadillac - Cadillac Area Community Health Clinic, 521 Cobbs St., 231-876-7818
• Cheboygan - Northern Care Center, 225 Water St., 231-333-3019
• Grayling - AuSable Free Clinic Inc., 1250 E. Michigan Ave., 989-348-0740
• Manistee - Manistee Area Community Clinic, 385 Third St., 231-309-8940
• Petoskey - Community Free Clinic, 820 Arlington, Suite 6, 231-487-3600
• Traverse City - Traverse Health Clinic, 3147 Logan Valley Rd., 231-935-0668
• Marquette - Medical Care Access Coalition Volunteer Clinic, 1414 W. Fair Ave., Suite 26, 906-226-4400
• Sault Ste. Marie - Community Health Access Coalition Volunteer Clinic, 508 Ashmun St., 906-635-7451
  

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has a unique mission that is different from other health insurance companies. The company is committed to focusing on reducing health care costs and improving quality, increasing access to health care coverage and services, and improving the health status of Michigan's residents, particularly children.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit organization, provides and administers health benefits to 4.7 million members residing in Michigan in addition to members of Michigan-headquartered groups who reside outside the state. The company offers a broad variety of plans including: Traditional Blue Cross Blue Shield; Blue Preferred®, Community Blue(SM) and Healthy Blue Incentives(SM) PPOs; Blue Care Network HMO; BCN's Healthy Blue Living(SM); Flexible Blue(SM) plans compatible with health savings accounts; Medicare Advantage; Part D Prescription Drug plans, and MyBlue(SM) products in the under-age-65 individual market. BCBSM also offers dental, vision and hearing plans. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more company information, visit bcbsm.com.