Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) will present a grant of $100,000 to the Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center (UGLFHC) this Friday, to significantly expand health services for the more than 9,000 uninsured and underinsured Houghton County residents. The Gwinn, Michigan based clinic will use the grant to address depression and substance abuse in patients age 13 years and up, and integrate primary and behavioral care offerings.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently reported 15 percent of the population in Houghton County is uninsured, resulting in high rates of diabetes, hypertension and obesity; delayed entry into prenatal care and low rates of childhood immunizations; and a shortage of primary care and behavioral health care providers.
When: Friday, Dec. 13, 2013 11 a.m.
Where: Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center 135 East M-35 Gwinn, MI 49841
Who: The following attendees will provide remarks and be available for
media interviews and photos at the event:
• Donald A. Simila, CEO, UGLFHC
• Dr. Mary Tobin-Anderson, physician, UGLFHC
• Larry Ziomkowski, trustee, UGLFHC Board of Directors
• Jeff Connolly, president, west Michigan operations and managed
care, BCBSM
• State Senator Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba)
• State Representative John Kivela (D-Marquette)
Why: The grant is part Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Strengthening the Safety Net program, which gave more than $1 million in grants to Michigan safety net clinics in 2013 to help aid the uninsured. The grants, awarded to more than 50 clinics statewide, are used to support operations, assist individuals with enrollment under the Affordable Care Act, or for patient dental care. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has given more than $9 million to support Michigan’s safety net since 2005.
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