October 14, 2005

Detroit Center is 15th to be Created since Governor Took Office

LANSING – Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today applauded the federal approval of a fourth Detroit-area Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC).
 
“I am pleased that uninsured and underinsured citizens in the Detroit area now have better access to high quality health care services,” Granholm said.  “Each of our citizens, most importantly our most vulnerable, deserves and needs access to good health care services.  I remain committed to providing additional options for treatment for all Michigan residents.”
 
The Health Centers Detroit Foundation, Inc. – currently providing comprehensive health services for thousands of medically underserved Wayne County citizens – is now eligible for Medicaid reimbursement, Granholm said. Health Centers Detroit Foundation, Inc., located at 4201 St. Antoine St., currently serves 8,875 residents, 45 percent of whom receive Medicaid.
 
Under the Granholm administration, 15 FQHCs have been approved in communities across the state, including Saginaw, Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, Detroit, Marquette, Muskegon, Jackson, Brimley, Westland, and Lincoln.
 
With the addition of Health Centers Detroit Foundation, the city of Detroit is now served by four FQHCs.  Other specific locations include the Detroit Community Health Connection, Inc. and two for the Detroit Health Care for the Homeless, Inc.
 
“Since the beginning of my administration, we have worked hard to ensure that medically underserved communities have access to the same high quality care than much of the state enjoys,” Granholm said. “I look forward to more community health centers opening up and keeping our families healthy.” 
 
Under Granholm's continued leadership, numerous health care initiatives have produced significant cost savings and have expanded healthcare coverage in Michigan, including the Michigan-led multi-state prescription drug pool, which has saved Michigan’s Medicaid program millions of dollars in prescription drug costs, and the groundbreaking MI-Rx prescription drug discount card, which provides a 20 percent average discount for more than 30,000 residents without health insurance coverage.