Children from low-income families can receive preventative services at little cost in Michigan.
Uninsured people in Michigan do not have to depend upon the emergency room for their health care needs. Michigan has several programs for low-income patients and their families. Community health care centers offer services to low-income and homeless people, and programs are available to insure kids from low-income families at minimal costs.
Michigan Primary Care Association Programs
The Michigan Primary Care Association (MPCA) helps low-income people access health care by funding community clinics. Community clinics offer low-cost health care services and sliding scale fees; people pay based upon what they can afford, and higher-income people are asked to pay more than low-income people. No person is turned away from these clinics due to lack of ability to pay. In addition to sliding fee scales, MPCA clinics offer services in languages other than English for members of communities who primarily speak a different language.
Health Care for the Homeless
Health Care for the Homeless provides services to homeless people who could not otherwise afford it. This program runs clinics specifically for homeless people and addresses health care issues specific to this population, such as HIV prevention on the streets, goal-setting to keep homeless people healthy and tuberculosis treatment and prevention. Health Care for the Homeless programs are often run by community clinics; homeless people may take advantage of the sliding-scale payment plans offered to other people who lack insurance.
HealthyKids
HealthyKids is a community outreach program which encourages parents in low-income families to enroll their kids in low-cost or free health care. This program hosts enrollment events at Goodwill or other organizations dedicated to helping low-income families. Kids enrolled in HealthyKids are entitled to preventative services, vision services, dental services and mental health services. There are no monthly premiums. This program is open to children under the age of 19 and pregnant women of any age.
Tags: homeless people, low-income families, Care Homeless, health care, Health Care Homeless
