Program hopes to offer insurance to Hispanics

Program hopes to boost health insurance among small businesses
Santiago Esparza / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- Wayne County's Four Star Health program opened an office Tuesday on the city's southwest side, where small business owners can get information on setting up a health care program for their employees.

The office, inside of the Latino Press Building at Michigan and Livernois, offers bilingual staff and data. Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano said southwest Detroit is heavily Latino and experienced tremendous growth over the past 30 years. Moreover, he said the area has many small businesses that could benefit from the program, which was founded in 1996.

"Health care is a critical issue, especially with this region," Ficano told The News. "This is one way to make it possible for (employees of small businesses) to get some health insurance."

St. John Health, Henry Ford Health System and Oakwood Health System are in partnership with the county in the program by charging lower fees.

Richard Nowakowski, Four Star Health's administrator, said there are 300 businesses in southwest Detroit that would benefit. Currently, there are 250 businesses countywide in the program.

"It is really hard for someone making $7 or $8 an hour to pay $400 a month for health care," he said, citing the premiums of some larger health care companies. "We want to help them."

About 1,600 employees of businesses in the county currently receive health care through the program, Nowakowski said. He would like to see that number grow to 2,000 people by the end of the summer, he said.

To reach that goal, program staffers have mailed out 4,000 letters and are following up with phone calls, Nowakowski said.

"It is something for their peace of mind," Ficano said. "It is something that makes the county attractive to business owners to come here."

Latino Press publishes a newspaper and five themed inserts. It was founded in 1993. The company also publishes a Hispanic Directory in Wayne and Oakland counties.

You can reach Santiago Esparza at (313) 222-2127 or sesparza@detnews.com.