CINCINNATI, MUSKEGON, Mich., NOVI, Mich. and TOLEDO, Ohio, March 28, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Catholic Healthcare Partners (CHP) and Trinity Health, two of the nation's largest Catholic health systems, today renewed their efforts in promoting the passage of federal legislation that would help provide healthcare coverage to uninsured Americans.
Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) and Bart Stupak (D-MI), the Communities Building Access Act (HR 1683) would provide $45 million in federal grants to spark locally focused solutions to the national issue. The start-up dollars would be available to local communities that develop a plan based on two successful models: the Access Health program in Muskegon, Michigan, and the CareNet program in Toledo, Ohio.
"We are grateful to U.S. Representatives Hoekstra and Stupak for introducing this legislation," said Joseph Swedish, president and CEO of Trinity Health. "It's built on what has worked well in the past -- local communities coming together to lift their fellow citizens and ensure that everyone has access to affordable health insurance coverage."
Mercy General Health Partners, a Trinity Health hospital in Muskegon, Michigan, and Mercy Health Partners, a CHP hospital group based in Toledo, Ohio, were instrumental in the creation and administration of the two programs, helping more than 17,000 previously uninsured Michigan and Ohio citizens obtain health coverage and/or specialty services.
"CareNet and Access Health are leading by example and taking care of our most vulnerable citizens," said Michael Connelly, president and CEO of CHP. "This important legislation will give those who work closest with the uninsured and underserved the flexibility and support to create a local solution almost immediately."
CareNet coordinates the county's safety net providers into an organized system of charity care and sponsors a Volunteer Specialty Provider Network. CareNet identifies and enrolls low income uninsured as CareNet members and issues membership cards that connect members to affordable medical homes and needed hospital services, as well as specialty care provided by physicians who volunteer their services. Since CareNet was established in January 2003 by the city of Toledo, Lucas County, local hospitals and physicians, the program has successfully enrolled 12,000 previously uninsured residents into the program and has helped an additional 1,500 obtain public or private healthcare coverage.
Jan Ruma, executive director of CareNet, says that Communities Building Access grants would be extremely helpful to communities ready to establish or expand a volunteer network, especially for recruiting specialists to the area and to help cover costs for administration of specialty care community clinics. "The promise of grants that could help local communities across America develop plans to help the underserved gain access to health insurance and specialty services is truly motivational," said Ruma. "We're honored to serve as a living example of how, with the right support, this can work anywhere in the country."
Access Health is a "Multi-Share" program, meaning that the community, employers and employees pay a share of a monthly insurance premium. For more than seven years, Access Health has provided a full range of health care services to more than 3,500 enrollees working at more than 525 small- and medium-sized businesses in Muskegon. Before Access Health was implemented, none of these businesses was able to offer health insurance to their employees.
"Access Health is living proof that Multi-Share programs work, and Communities Building Access grant can be the catalyst that makes the difference in a community where no such program currently exists," said Vondie Woodbury, executive director of the Muskegon Community Health Project, the organization that developed Access Health.
According to the legislation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services would administer the grants. To be eligible for a grant, leaders in local communities must work together to put together a proposal based on the models described above. The legislation also creates a local health program national clearinghouse to share best practices and facilitate creation of community-based programs.
Originally introduced last year, the Communities Building Access Act gained 38 co-sponsors, many of whom represented populations served by CHP and Trinity Health hospitals.
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