Honoring Our Healthcare Heroes

Genesee Health Plan recognizes Representative Phil Phelps, other health care leaders and advocates at annual awards dinner

The Genesee Health Plan (GHP) recognized healthcare heroes and leaders who have made a significant positive impact in Genesee County during the Health Care Hall of Fame Dinner and Awards Ceremony on March 27. Healthcare champion and GHP advocate Representative Phil Phelps (D-Flushing) was honored with the 2017 Health Care Hall of Fame Visionary Leadership Award. GHP also recognized five individuals and organizations as community partners, physician leaders and visionary leaders in healthcare.

“We are proud to honor individuals and organizations that have dedicated themselves to serving the uninsured residents of Genesee County,” said Jim Milanowski, GHP President and CEO. “Our healthcare heroes are integral to the work we do to increase access to quality healthcare and we are grateful for their support and commitment to closing gaps in our community and finding healthcare solutions for families and seniors.”

The 2017 honorees recognized at the annual celebration include:

Healthcare Hall of Fame Visionary Leadership Award

• State Representative Phil Phelps (D-Flushing) is a true champion for GHP and has been a strong voice for affordable, accessible, high quality healthcare throughout his career. Rep. Phelps played a significant role in the passage of GHP’s millage in 2006 by serving as a spokesperson for the ballot initiative. He also served on GHP’s Millage Steering Committee in 2012. Rep. Phelps has spent the last year working with Governor Snyder’s administration on Flint’s water issues and helped create a bill that provided $28 million in assistance for Flint residents that passed unanimously in January 2016.

Community Partnership Award

• United Way of Genesee County has assisted GHP in reducing barriers to healthcare services within the Latino community in Genesee County. The United Way has also funded a community health worker at a Flint school who works to identify healthcare needs within the school and the communities the school serves. This work is crucial to connecting children and families with invaluable healthcare resources.

• Valley Area Agency on Aging (VAAA) is committed to providing answers, action and advocacy on care for the elderly and disabled adults of Genesee, Lapeer and Shiawassee counties. VAAA has recently partnered with GHP to support its Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program and last fall, participated in GHP’s WNEM TV 5 phone bank to answer questions regarding the new program. 

Visionary Leadership Award

• Congressman Dan Kildee is a tireless advocate for Flint families and has led the fight in Congress to bring federal funding to the city in the wake of the water crisis. In December 2016, Congress passed $170 million in federal aid championed by Congressman Kildee directed at helping Flint recover from the city’s ongoing water crisis.

Physician Leadership Award

• Genesee County Medical Society (GCMS) is a long-time partner for GHP and continues to work with the local medical community to encourage their participation in GHP. During the Flint Water Crisis, GCMS and its members played a critical role in exposing health risks, and GCMS physicians have been heroic during the water crisis by serving as spokespeople for Flint residents.

We are truly proud of our honorees and are grateful for their continued support of the Genesee Health Plan and commitment to increasing access to high-quality healthcare in our community. In the coming months, we will unveil our new Health Care Hall of Fame display at our office at 2171 S. Linden Road in Flint, where you can view plaques featuring previous Hall of Fame inductees.  We will also be featuring a new digital Health Care Hall of Fame, which features previous Health Care Hall of Fame inductees directly on our website at geneseehealthplan.org.