Iron Mountain / Michigan / United States
The Medical Care Access Coalition ( MCAC ) is a non-profit organization set up to help the uninsured residents of Upper Michigan get the healthcare services they need and deserve. How do we do it? Doctors volunteer their time to see patients who qualify for the program free of charge! Our local hospitals donate common lab and X-ray testing! We even have a pharmacy program where patients can receive generic medications for only a $4 co-pay! The program works thanks to generous support from a variety of individuals and organizations---and together were making a difference in peoples lives and the overall health of our community. The Dickinson-Iron MCAC is only one of several access to care programs spanning the 15 counties of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We are linked together through the Upper Peninsula Health Access Coalition ( UPHAC ), a board made up of representatives from across the region for the purpose of collaboration. These partnerships continually lead to resource and information sharing, and we have developed a national reputation for our efforts and progress. In 2004, the Upper Peninsula was awarded a 2.6 million dollar Healthy Communities Access Program ( HCAP ) federal grant to develop its access to care programs. This funding is allowing the Dickinson-Iron MCAC and agencies like it to provide medical services to our friends and neighbors in a dignified and professional manner. We have also been able to bolster our resources and increase the provisions of the programs. In 2006, the federal government estimated that there are 46 million uninsured Americans...and that number continues to grow. While our program is not a solution for a nationwide problem, it is a helping hand for thousands of people living in our area.
