Blue Cross Opens Doors to Free and Low-Cost Health Care
Blues Perspectives
| 2 min read
Finding health care can feel difficult – especially if you don’t have health insurance or have insurance with limited coverage. Health care – and mental health care – can also be costly for many households. These barriers are all too common – and can cause people to delay seeking care until serious complications develop. For people in Michigan seeking care for physical and mental health concerns, free and low-cost clinics are located in communities across the state that are ready to help. These clinics offer services both directly and through community partners. The services often include:
- Medical care
- Screenings for lead and chronic conditions
- Immunizations
- Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services
- Food assistance
- Dental care
- Mental health care
These clinics are funded in part by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Strengthening the Safety Net program, which has provided more than $18 million in grants to clinics across the state since 2005. Removing barriers to accessing health care is good for everyone. When individuals have steady access to health care, it can improve their outcomes, reduce disparities and lower health care costs. It’s also good for families, for communities; for workforces and for the health care system as a whole. Here are the most recent recipients of the Blue Cross Strengthening the Safety Net grants, which will assist approximately 65,000 individuals this year.
By eliminating barriers to health care for the uninsured and underinsured, Blue Cross is helping to move the needle toward better health outcomes for everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status. More from MIBluesPerspectives:
- The Role of Supportive Housing on Mental Health: ‘It’s My Own Haven’
- Our Role in Addressing Social Determinants of Health
- Neighbors Help Neighbors at Clinic for Uninsured in Bay City
Photo credit: Getty Images
