Printer Friendly

Institutional provider initiative

Three regional meetings were facilitated between MHS Alliance-related healthcare provider institutions and Mennonite Church USA leaders at the conference and congregational levels. Representatives of about 20 provider institutions, 28 congregations and six conferences have discussed the challenges of access in their experience.

Healthcare provider institutions, such as our mental health, disability, and aging services providers, are facing the challenges of increasing need for their services, escalating costs and decreasing external sources of funds that can help persons meet their needs. These factors strain the ability to balance the budget or sustain their mission.

MHS Alliance-related providers offer extensive charity care, but the need often outstrips their ability to provide that care. Some members of Mennonite congregations have trouble accessing healthcare services, and indeed, these providers turn people away every week, including Mennonites. Providers often find themselves caught between unmet needs and other fiscal responsibilities including the need to pay employees just wages and provide some healthcare benefits.

In the regional meetings, the dilemma facing healthcare providers centered around the issue of how to provide care to those who need it in the face of rising costs and decreased sources of funding from outside. Several trends were noted.

• the requirements placed by government regulations and the complexity of the system;
• the lack of consensus on ethical issues around end-of-life care;
• clients increasingly seeking legal counsel to transfer assets in order to become eligible for Medicaid;
• Medicaid reimbursement rates have not come close to keeping pace with cost of providing services;
• limitations in the number of persons who can be given discounts;
• more than half of the garnishments of employees’ wages are related to their healthcare costs.

• congregational-based wellness program, with a parish nurse to provide guidance and encouragement;
• promote end-of-life discussion and planning;
• congregation-based home assisted living program;
• encourage donations to the provider organizations;
• churchwide long-term care insurance;
• cooperate with other church groups in the community.

Healthcare provider organizations and the community of faith need to be in conversation to better meet the needs of people in our pews and our neighbors across the street.

What can delegates do?

• Contact an institutional provider or professional practitioner and invite them to share with your congregation about their ministry and its challenges.
• Seek opportunities to serve with the institution as a volunteer staff or board member.
• Contact MHS Alliance if you have interest in exploring the potential for developing a new ministry.