At its Legislative Forum held February 2, 2010, Michigan Primary Care Association (MPCA) presented Senator Deborah Cherry (D-District 26) and Representative Gary McDowell (D-District 107) with the Champion for the Medically Underserved Award.
MPCA periodically gives this award to a state legislator who has worked to promote and protect affordable, quality health care for the vulnerable populations in Michigan.
“This year, MPCA chose to give our award to two deserving legislators who are true champions and long-time supporters of Community Health Centers and the people in our state who don’t have voices,” said Doug Paterson, Director of State Policy, Michigan Primary Care Association (MPCA).
Senator Cherry has spent six years in the House and eight years in the Senate advocating for affordable, accessible health care for Michigan residents.
“As Vice Chair of the Community Health Appropriations Subcommittee, she has worked hard to assure her colleagues understand the vital services that Community Health Centers provide to their communities despite the limited resources they have to work with. And in her community, as Chair of the Greater Flint Health Coalition, she has also worked to assure that her constituents, who often don’t have a loud voice in the political arena, has her to speak for them,” Paterson said.
Representative McDowell is Chair of the House Health Appropriations Subcommittee and, like Senator Cherry, has been a consistent champion for people needing access to health care. He was the author of a plan the Michigan Primary Care Association and the Michigan County Health Plans Association are still advocating for that would assure primary care services to all residents in this state under 150% of poverty through County Health Plans.
“Under Representative McDowell’s plan, the state, working in partnership with Community Health Centers and County Health Plans, could provide needed physician services, prescription drugs, and limited laboratory and radiology services to nearly all uninsured Michigan residents in households with incomes at or below 150% of poverty,” said Paterson. “Representative McDowell understands that individuals with access to regular preventive care are less likely to be taken to the emergency room or hospitalized than those without access to regular preventive care, and he is committed to helping everyone in the state get access to health care.”
Today, Michigan Community Health Centers provide quality, comprehensive, community-based, culturally-oriented primary health care for nearly 600,000 individuals at over 160 delivery sites
across the state. Each Health Center’s services are tailored to meet the unique needs of their patients and surrounding communities, and are governed by a patient-majority board of directors.