In the Clarkston area, over 15,000 people have no health insurance. Without access to ongoing care, our community is less healthy, and our health care costs are much higher. Access to primary care doesn’t only help people in need, but it also saves us all money – it is the right thing to do, and the smart thing to do. At MHC, we are working to provide access to care for individuals in need. To continue to meet the need to serve the 15,000+ without access to care, MHC provides access to our high-quality providers, free medications, on-site labs, health education and navigation services, and referrals for critically needed preventive care – all for under $600 per year. We rely on the generosity of our supporters to provide this care.
Each of these 15,000 people has a story to tell. This series shares some of those stories to see the human face behind the numbers.
What is your name? José Martínez (name has been changed for the purpose of this story to keep the patient anonymous)
What is your story? I am from Acapulco, Mexico, and moved to the U.S. when I was 14. I came to the Mosaic Health Center because of my health. I’ve been having many problems with diabetes and have visited the hospital many times when I was sick. I had cramps and weakness and they would give me IV medicine to feel better to go back to work. The past two years I have gone to several clinics but the medication was expensive and they didn’t check on me. I didn’t have a way to get maintenance treatment, so I kept going back to the hospital.
How did you find out about MHC? Through family members like me who were looking for a clinic that could provide medical care and make them feel comfortable and secure about their health. My mother told me I should go to this clinic, which my daughter-in-law had recommended to her. She had been treated here and felt very comfortable.

What has MHC meant to you? After my first visit, I felt really comfortable and cared for by the staff who were able to communicate with me in Spanish and understood my cultural background. I’ve been in many hospitals many times, but they don’t give me the diagnosis and treatment. Here I felt really comfortable because I was able to share about my entire health, and I was able to say many things and they were caring of me.
Mexican men don’t like to share about health problems, and I’m looking for help with my health because I’ve been feeling bad. My family has been worried about me, and I don’t want them to worry about my situation. Since I came here, I felt really comfortable with the staff, and I was able to tell them many things about my health. I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like to share about my health. Since the last visit, I’ve been feeling really attended to because they texted and called me about my lab results and tell me about my next appointment.
The free prescriptions from MHC have been really helpful. With my disease, I have I felt really weak and since I started the medication, I’ve been feeling better. I have recommended this clinic to my friends and coworkers because they offer free medication and it’s a really good clinic. They are planning to come here.
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