How We Serve

 

Access Coalitions are not medical care providers nor do they arrange health insurance for patients. They are community-based programs that enroll qualifying* local residents into a system that:

  • coordinates access to direct care services donated by primary and specialty medical care providers, diagnostic testing and/or free or reduced-cost medications from drug companies, pharmacies and physician offices;

  • refers qualified patients into existing state and federal health care coverage programs for low income individuals, where appropriate;

  • provides information on community resources and agencies to assist patients in making social services and health care-related connections;

  • directs enrolled patients without a “medical home” to services that may ultimately give them access to health care providers on a regular basis to minimize non-urgent emergency room visits, and/or

  • provides enrolled patients with educational and informational resources dealing with chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, hypertension and depression.

* those between 19 and 64 years of age without health insurance and with an annual household income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

 

In 2008, the five Local Access Coalitions enrolled a regional total of 1,743 persons into their programs and served more than 3,000 uninsured adults who were in need of health care services.

To arrange access to health care and prescriptions for U.P. patients, Access Coalitions serving residents of all 15 counties of the Upper Peninsula worked with:

  • More than 300 primary care and specialty care medical providers;
  • 15 hospital systems;
  • Federally Qualified Health Centers;
  • County health departments;
  • Local pharmacies and major pharmaceutical companies;
  • Social services agencies and community organizations.

Regionally in 2008, Local Access Coalitions received upwards of $1,312,600 in donated care for enrollees from partner hospitals and $567,931 in donated care from volunteer physicians and providers.  

Additionally, Local Access Coalitions leveraged upwards of $2,596,149 in donated prescription medications through pharmaceutical companies for enrollees in need during 2008.

The Local Access Coalitions reported placing more than 1,500 patients in a “medical home” in 2007, assisting more than 2,500 patients that year. In 2008, the five Local Access Coalitions enrolled a regional total of 1,743 persons into their programs and served more than 3,000 who were in need of health care services.

In the past three years, coordinated primary care by Local Access Coalitions has steadily increased from $2,665,074 in 2006 to $3,799,340 in 2007 and $4,476,692 in 2008.

A typical patient in recent years:

  • female;

  • between 45 and 54 years of age;

  • ethnicity: white;

  • employed part-time;

  • primary diagnosis: depression;

  • placed in a medical home to receive access to a consistent provider or provider group;

  • went to her primary care provider 1.47 times and saw a specialist provider 0.18 times.