Community-Driven Solutions to Health Care Affordability

Today | 4 min read

Key Takeaways

A big factor in driving the total cost of the health care system is the amount of money spent providing care to uninsured individuals.
To change the trajectory of health care costs, the health care system must address what happens when people are uninsured or underinsured and lack access to basic care.
Blue Cross' investments in free clinic grants help nearly 50 clinics provide care to more than 250,000 uninsured and underinsured Michigan residents each year.
Blue Cross also invests in community organizations already serving residents at the local level. These partnerships improve health before costly medical care is needed.

While Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan focuses on keeping our health insurance members as healthy as possible, we also know that issues regarding the affordability of care in Michigan require us to have a broader approach and impact.

The health care system’s total cost is reflected in the health insurance premiums our members pay – but a big factor in driving that cost higher is the amount spent providing care to people with no coverage at all. To change the trajectory of health care costs, the system must also address what happens when people are uninsured or underinsured and lack access to basic care.

For 87 years, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has championed a broader approach to affordability — one that aims to strengthen communities, expand access to care, improve the health of all Michiganians and reduce the cost pressures that affect everyone who pays for health insurance.

We do this because we know that as much as half of a person’s long-term health status is determined by social and environmental factors, including income, education and employment. Without the right resources, accessing health care can be out of reach – leading to worse health outcomes and higher costs for everyone.

Supporting safety net clinics is an affordability solution

Blue Cross is the largest private funder of the state’s network of free clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Over the past 20 years, we have invested more than $17 million in the health of Michiganians through Strengthening the Safety Net grants. By comparison, Blue Cross spends $107 million per day paying for our members’ care.

These comparatively small but meaningful investments in free clinic grants help nearly 50 clinics provide care to more than 250,000 uninsured and underinsured Michigan residents each year. This is important for several reasons - because it helps people who need help; and it helps keep uninsured people out of hospital emergency rooms, where the cost of their care often goes unpaid.

These “uncompensated care” costs eventually flow downstream into the premiums paid by private insurance Here is one story of how safety net clinics accomplish their work.

Expanding access through trusted community partners

Blue Cross also invests in community organizations already serving residents at the local level. These partnerships improve health before costly medical care is needed.

For example, support from Blue Cross helped the St. Ignace Food Pantry add refrigeration, allowing it to provide fresh produce, dairy and meat to about 800 residents each year. Access to healthy food reduces the risk of chronic disease, which is a major driver of long-term health care costs. The Blue Cross Foundation also supports programs addressing maternal health, homelessness and suicide prevention. In 2024, the Foundation awarded more than $1.7 million worth of support to organizations across 18 Michigan counties, helping communities and researchers address critical health issues that would improve quality of care and health outcomes.

Building healthier habits for long-term impact

Prevention is another key affordability solution. Through the Building Healthy Communities program, Blue Cross has partnered with 1,379 Michigan schools since 2009 to support healthier eating, increased physical activity and improved mental well-being among more than 600,000 students.

With the help of BHC, participating schools indicated these significant improvements in their students’ healthy behaviors:

Mental health benefits: Students are more open about their feelings, in some instances, suicidal ideation and stress levels have dropped for both pupils and teachers.
Nutrition gains: Participating students consume 40% more fruits and vegetables than the national average.
More movement: Daily steps rise by about 700 steps and students add 35 minutes of moderate‑to‑vigorous activity to their routines each week.
Academic lift: Test scores in math and reading improve while screen time drops 19 minutes per day; 74% of students report it’s easier to focus in class.
Long‑term health impact: Better diet and activity patterns are linked to sustained reductions in key cardiovascular risk factors.

Investing in sustainable health solutions

Blue Cross also supports long-term community health through the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. Each year, the Health Fund awards grants to more than 100 organizations help them serve more people in communities across the state. From helping older adults age in place, to funding innovative ideas that solve community-level health challenges, to implementing innovative ways to access behavioral health care, to improving access to fresh food and to supporting infants and their mothers, the Michigan Health Endowment fund makes a difference. As of April 2025, Blue Cross has contributed $1.01 billion and committed $1.56 billion over 18 years to support programs focused on community health, behavioral health and nutrition.

A systemwide approach to affordability

Health care affordability requires solutions that work beyond the doctor’s office. By expanding access to care where people live, partnering with trusted community organizations and investing in prevention, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is addressing affordability at its roots—helping improve health outcomes while easing cost pressures across the entire health care system.

Learn more about Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s approach to affordability at mibluedaily.com/affordability.

Courtesy photo: Hope Clinic