Advocacy Action Center

Helping and finding hope to meet the needs of the uninsured is an important and necessary community goal. Mercy Hospital has participated in the national Cover the Uninsured Week campaign since its inception more than five years ago. Through this Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program, Mercy has worked to provide information and promote awareness regarding the plight and needs of the uninsured.

What We’re Doing

In addition to providing information to the community through its work with the Peoples’ Clinic for Better Health and in media forums, this year Mercy has included access to both state and federal representatives through this Advocacy Action website resource. Mercy encourages you to engage your leaders by directly calling or preparing letters to share your thoughts regarding the issues that face those in our community who are uninsured or underinsured.

Across the Unite States, more than 47 million Americans are uninsured. That number is growing. In St. Clair County this number was reported at 20,000 in 2006. Due to manufacturing and business closures, reduction of worker benefits and economic issues facing our community, this number continues to rise. These are your family, friends and neighbors.

Peoples’ Clinic for Better Health

For those adults who lack health insurance benefits, Mercy Hospital and the St. Clair County Medical Society sponsor the Peoples’ Clinic for Better Health, the only free medical clinic in Port Huron that provides services to the community’s uninsured.

In addition to lack of health insurance, many of the patients at the Peoples’ Clinic are the working poor; those who maintain one and even two jobs with no health care benefits. To find out more about the Peoples’ Clinic for Better Health, click on this link to go to the Peoples’ Clinic section of this website. In it you’ll find access and service information as well as detailed information regarding the individuals served. 

Finding a Way, the Trinity Health Initiative

As a member of Trinity Health of Novi, MI, Mercy Hospital has a unique opportunity to raise awareness and speak directly to federal and state representatives regarding issues that impact the uninsured.

In February 2008 Mercy Hospital President and CEO Peter Karadjoff and Mercy Hospital Board Member Rich Seim traveled to Washington DC for an Advocacy Action forum and participate in dialogue with congressional representatives regarding this and other issues designed to enhance community health care, right in our community.

Based on input from its community healthcare hospitals such as Mercy Hospital, Trinity Health has designed and identified nine essential elements for systematic healthcare reform to achieve “coverage and access for all”. To learn more about this initiative through Trinity Health and Mercy Hospital, please read Finding a Way. Transforming Healthcare in America .

To find out more about Trinity Health, the fourth largest Catholic health system in the United States, go to: www.trinity-health.org.

Mercy Hospital Community Benefit Ministry

As the centerpiece of our Mission, programs for the poor and underserved continue to be a hallmark of Mercy Hospital’s service to the community. In Fiscal Year 2007, Mercy Hospital reported more than $7.3 million in Community Benefit Ministry. This includes Ministry to the Poor and Underserved, Ministry to the Broader Community and the Unpaid Cost of Public Programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid.

This reflects programs and services such as those provided through the Peoples’ Clinic for Better Health, the Mercy Charity Care program, the Mercy Pink Ribbon Fund and activities and programs carried out for the purpose of improving community health status and quality of life.

Many of these programs and services are funded through the Mercy Hospital Foundation. To find out more, click on this link.

Cover the Uninsured Week 2008

Cover the Uninsured Week will take place April 27 through May 2, 2008. Mercy Hospital is planning a number of activities to continue to raise awareness regarding the plight of the uninsured. Look for more information on Mercy Hospital activities as they become available.

To find out more about this national initiative, please go to: http://covertheuninsured.org/ or click on the following CTUW logo:

What You Can Do

As this is a federal, state and local election year, your current representatives are extremely interested and receptive to your issues and concerns regarding healthcare and the plight of the uninsured.

Now is your time to take action. Please contact any of the following state and federal representatives to make your opinions known.

US House

Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township
508 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20215
(202) 225-2106
https://candicemiller.house.gov/

US Senate
Carl Levin, D-Mich
Russell Senate Office Building
Room SR-269, Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-6221
senator@levin.senate.gov

Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich
702 Heart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-4822
senator@stabenow.senate.gov

Michigan State House of Representatives

Daniel Acciavatti – District 32
N0796 House Office Building
P.O. box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909-7514
Fax: (517) 373-8637
Phone: (517) 373-8931
danielacciavaitti@house.mi.gov

John Espinoza – District 83
S1187 House Office Building
P.O. Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909-7514
Fax: (517) 373-9876
Phone: (517) 373-0835
johnespinoza@house.mi.gov

Phil Pavlov – District 81
S1185 House Office Building
P.O. Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909-7514
Fax: (517) 373-9983
Phone: (517) 373-1790
phillippavlov@house.mi.gov

Living without health insurance is a risk no one should have to take.

If you would like to share these important messages with service groups and others throughout the community, you’re invited to download the following informational flier and distribute it to groups and organizations that would like to become more actively involved. Mercy Hospital Our Local Initiative