Healthy Living Newsletter
Hearts & Health are Healed at the Peoples’ Clinic
Understanding the plight of our community’s uninsured
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| Within the Peoples’ Clinic, hearts and health are healed thanks to generous donors and volunteers including free physician services provided by the St. Clair County Medical Society members such as Edmond W. Fitzgerald, MD, pictured here discussing a patient care plan with Debra and her husband Leo Chasse. |
Working two jobs, Leo Chasse and his wife Debra of Cyde Township, can’t seem to get a break.
Although he makes enough money to support he and his wife — who both suffer from chronic health conditions — he simply makes too much money to be eligible to receive the Medicaid benefits he and his wife need to maintain their health. In addition, due to his part-time status, neither of his employers offers access to health care benefits.
Not unlike nearly 20,000 other residents in St. Clair County who are uninsured (based on statistics provided through the St. Clair County Health Department), the Chasses wonder what the future will hold for them — if for some unfortunate reason — either one of them experiences a health crisis.
Each month, the Chasses do receive routine health care through the Peoples’ Clinic for Better Health. The clinic is cosponsored by the St. Clair County Medical Society and Mercy Hospital, and is funded in part by the United Way of St. Clair County. The clinic provides free medical care for our community’s uninsured, 18 to 64 years of age. For the Chasses this means each month, the clinic checks their health status and provides them with nearly $1,300 worth of free prescriptions to maintain their chronic health conditions. For Leo that includes hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cholesterol. Debra suffers from both fibromyalgia (a muscle disorder) and thyroid disease.
The Chasses have been regularly visiting the clinic since Leo lost his full-time truck driving job nearly three years ago. At 61 years of age, Leo expects to continue to visit the clinic until he’s eligible for Medicare.
“Families in our situation have very limited places to turn,” comments Leo. “At my age, and in our local economy, it’s hard to find a full-time job with benefits. But, I look and will continue to look for better opportunities.”
Providing medical care for the uninsured is not just a local issue, but a national one as well,” comments Peter Karadjoff, Mercy Hospital President & CEO. “Although the Peoples’ Clinic and its corps of dedicated volunteer physicians provides for more than 3,000 patient visits annually, and just under $900,000 in prescription medication; it’s simply not enough to stem the tide of the needs of the local uninsured. Add to that the plight of those individuals who recently lost jobs in our community, and you can see how the crisis is mounting.”
Cover the Uninsured
“Ensuring that all human life is valued within our society through the provision of health care benefits is one of our long-term goals,” continues Peter. “But raising awareness of the plight of the uninsured is something we can work on right now.”
This week has been designated National Cover the Uninsured Week, which works to raise awareness and bring attention to the 47 million Americans who lack health care benefits.
Cover the Uninsured Week is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and for five years has been working to provide a platform to urge state and national leaders to take action.
This year, the Cover the Uninsured initiative is taking aim at the issue of children without health benefits, with emphasis being placed on federal funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
What’s more, there is a focus on another important project being considered by Congress: the Communities Building Access Act (HR5171) which creates federal grants for local communities to provide healthcare coverage for uninsured individuals who are employed, such as Leo Chasse.
For the Chasses, access to the Peoples’ Clinic is their only current local resource. “Each month, we visit the clinic and try to see our regular physician Jun Garcia, MD,” explains Debra Chasse.
Prior to the loss of their insurance, Dr. Garcia provided care to Debra through Mercy Family Care — Fort Gratiot, and continues to see them on a volunteer basis through the Peoples’ Clinic.
“We’re extremely grateful to the Peoples’ Clinic, its nurses and volunteers,” continues Debra. “They always treat us with respect and dignity and they provide access to or refer us to the care we need. I don’t know where we’d be or what we would do without the clinic. They’ve been there for us, and we’ll continue to visit as long as we can.”
The Role of Mercy Hospital Community Benefit
Mercy Hospital’s Community Benefit Ministry is one of the hallmarks of Mercy’s role as a community and corporate citizen throughout the area.
In addition to being a cosponsor of the clinic with the St. Clair County Medical Society, in 2006, Mercy provided more than $4.6 million toward its Ministry to the Poor and Underserved. This fund seeks out and serves those who need us most, especially the working poor, the uninsured and the indigent. In addition to the Peoples’ Clinic, this fund also supports the Mercy Cares program, which offers financial assistance to those patients utilizing Mercy Hospital.
In total, Mercy Hospital provided nearly $10 million in Community Benefit Ministry in 2006; including the Ministry to the Broader Community and the Unpaid Cost of Public Programs.
How You Can Help
You can help work to secure health care benefits for the 1.1 million Michigan residents who are currently uninsured by writing your local Congress members, President Bush and Governor Granholm to request continued funding of important programs such as the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP); and the Communities Building Access Act (HR5171).
You can also find out more about what’s happening on the national scene by visiting the Cover the Uninsured website at www.covertheuninsured.com. This website provides access to and information about the broad array of programs being considered throughout the nation.
Locally, you can help to support the Peoples’ Clinic for Better Health by contacting the Mercy Hospital Foundation at (810) 987-1047.
To find out more about the Peoples’ Clinic, visit the Peoples’ Clinic section of this website, or call (810) 985-4747, during regular business hours, Tuesday through Thursday.
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