Press Release

IBC Aids St. Catherine Labouré Medical Clinic

IBC's Charitable Medical Grants Support Care for the Uninsured

Philadelphia, PA - September 15, 2004 When funding got low, members of the staff at St. Catherine Labouré Medical Clinic were willing to work for free. They even were willing to work in their hats, coats, gloves and scarves when the one-room office lost heat last winter. But when the computers stopped working in the frigid air and patients were refusing to disrobe for exams, the future of the clinic looked grim.

Operating since 1999, St. Catherine Labouré Medical Clinic offers many of its patients their only access to health care. The Germantown clinic not only cares for its patients' physical health, however; it also addresses their psychological and spiritual needs.

"We treat the invisible population — the uninsured who are under the radar because they're working part-time or are unemployed — who are at the end of their rope," said Sheila Davis, D.O., co-director at the clinic. "We were in desperate need and could not get sufficient funding to operate until Independence Blue Cross came in."

With the help of funding from IBC's Charitable Medical Care Grant Program, St. Catherine Labouré Medical Clinic was able to move into a building equipped with basics — heat, air conditioning, private exam rooms and bathrooms — necessary to care for the 25 to 35 people who visit each week.

"We're pleased to offer St. Catherine Labouré Medical Clinic the support they need to continue to provide care in the Germantown area and to fill a tremendous need in our region," said G. Fred DiBona, Jr., IBC President and CEO. "Without clinics such as St. Catherine Labouré, many uninsured would otherwise go to the hospital emergency rooms for their medical care, if they seek care at all."

In addition to medical care, the clinic provides counseling and social work services, as well as help with making medical appointments, filling out forms, finding creative ways for patients to receive costly diagnostic tests, and even dispensing medication into weekly doses for those unable to parse a month s supply.

"Many of the patients won't advocate for themselves," explained Michele Palos-Samsi, co-director of St. Catherine Labouré Medical Clinic. "They don't think they have the right to ask for things such as quicker appointments. We demystify medicine, we teach patients, and we talk in a language that helps patients manage their own care.

"We're trying to save lives. We're not about volume and we don't take insurance," said Dr. Davis. "Without funding from individuals and companies like IBC, we would not be able to continue to provide care."

The Charitable Medical Care Grant Program gives financial support for non-profit, privately funded clinics in southeastern Pennsylvania that provide free or nominal fee care to the uninsured. A three-year commitment makes grants available to support areas such as general operating expenses, unfunded pharmaceutical needs, medical supplies, specialty care, diagnostic tests, or other pertinent needs critical to the delivery of care within the clinics. To date, IBC has dedicated $2.8 million to 13 clinics over the next three years.

"These grants not only help clinics such as St. Catherine Labouré Medical Clinic provide care for the uninsured," DiBona said, "but they also helps rein in our region's crisis in uncompensated medical care and ultimately helps control health care costs for all of our members. When the entire community is healthy, everyone benefits."

For more information about this clinic or the additional clinics aided by the IBC Charitable Medical Care Grant Program, contact Butch Ward at 215-241-2220.

About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurer in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Nationwide, IBC and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.5 million people.