RELEASE
Making Health Care More Affordable: $914,000 in Safety Net Grants Support Statewide Health Clinics
Teddy Lemmer
| 3 min read
DETROIT, Aug. 4, 2025 – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (Blue Cross) is proud to commemorate its 21-year commitment to improving access to affordable health care in Michigan by announcing the 2025 Strengthening the Safety Net grant recipients. Together, Blue Cross and Blue Cross Complete of Michigan are awarding $914,000 to support 45 safety net health care clinics across the state, enabling them to provide free or low-cost primary care, dental and mental health services to Michigan residents.
Since 2005, Blue Cross has invested more than $17 million in Strengthening the Safety Net grants. The grant funding has helped provide 2 million patient visits and allowed more than 250,000 uninsured and underinsured residents to access care. The Strengthening the Safety Net grant program has helped reduce strain on the health care system by cutting back on 400,000 unnecessary emergency room visits in the past 20 years, resulting in $200 million in savings to Michigan’s health care system.
“Safety net clinics are a crucial component in the equation to make health care more affordable by providing preventative and primary care to populations in need, which helps reduce costly emergency room visits,” said Tiffany Albert, senior vice president of Community Relations at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “By supporting these clinics, we are addressing the unique needs of our neighbors and ensuring they have access to essential health services. Ultimately, investing in safety net clinics means investing in a healthier and more affordable future for Michigan, where everyone can thrive.”
Clinics receiving grant awards will use the funding for comprehensive clinical services, including primary care, dental care, behavioral health and referrals to specialty care. Grantees assist patients by screening for health-related social needs and by offering patient navigation services, including helping patients enroll in Medicaid or the Health Insurance Marketplace, securing prescription assistance and contacting partners who offer food, transportation and housing assistance. The 18-health care home matching grant recipients will also raise more than $180,000 in community health matching grants from other Michigan organizations.
“Now in its 21st year, the Strengthening the Safety Net grant program continues to support clinics and providers to make access to health care affordable and in reach for Michigan residents in need. As these grant dollars move into communities, health clinics can provide essential health care services and referrals for basic needs. This helps individuals and families avoid the emergency room for non-emergency medical needs, which contributes to high costs,” said Todd Anderson, market president, Blue Cross Complete.
A full list of grant recipients can be viewed here.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides health benefits to more than 4.7 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies residing outside the state. The company has been committed to delivering affordable health care products through a broad variety of plans for businesses, individuals and seniors for more than 80 years. Beyond health care coverage, BCBSM supports impactful community initiatives and provides leadership in improving health care. For more information, visit bcbsm.com and MIBlueDaily.com.
Blue Cross Complete of Michigan is contracted by the state of Michigan to provide medical services to eligible Medicaid and Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries in 58 counties in the Lower Peninsula. Blue Cross Complete of Michigan is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit mibluecrosscomplete.com.
