Community Benefit in our Regions

Ohio

At Kaiser Permanente, We are Committed to Improving the Health of Our Members and the Communities We Serve

Kaiser Permanente’s mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. To support that mission, the Kaiser Permanente Ohio Region has a Community Benefit Program portfolio consisting of six service areas: medical care programs, an educational theatre program, grants and donations, corporate community involvement, community health programs, and support of “safety net” providers.

Medical Care Programs

Kaiser Permanente Ohio Region offers medical care to the uninsured through the Transition Plan (formerly called the Dues Subsidy Program) and the Access to Care program. Both programs provide participants with access to free or reduced-cost health care. The region also offers a Medi-Medi subsidy program for Medicare members who are also eligible for Medicaid. Like all regions of Kaiser Permanente, the Ohio Region has adopted the Collection/Medical Financial Assistance Policy to help those who incur medical bills that they cannot pay.

Educational Theatre Program

In 2005, Kaiser Permanente Ohio Region launched an Educational Theatre Program based on a new model for promoting health through theatre. Collaborating with schools, community-based organizations, and other nonprofit groups, Kaiser Permanente creates live productions to inspire children, teens and adults to make better choices for their health and their well-being. Rather than hiring professional actors, Kaiser Permanente Ohio Region hires students from the Cleveland Municipal School District, who perform for schools in that district.

Grants and Donations

Kaiser Permanente Ohio Region writes grants to support programs that fit targeted areas such as prevention of chronic diseases, promotion of healthy eating and active living, and support of healthy development in children and youth. The YWCA’s Summer Enrichment Program and the Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Teens to Men Conference are examples of grants written for 2006. For more information on grant applications, click <HERE>.

Corporate Community Involvement

Employees in every department of the Kaiser Permanente Ohio Region are encouraged to give back to the community through participation in a number of events, including local heart walks, the Day of Caring, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day On. Employees also have the opportunity to make financial contributions to community organizations through the Community Care Fund campaign and through the gift matching program.

Community Health

Kaiser Permanente Ohio Region is the official screening partner for the American Heart Association, providing blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, and body mass index (BMI) screenings at the Cleveland, Akron, Lake/Geauga, and Lorain “heart walks.” Kaiser Permanente Ohio Region also participates in the Community Health Initiative (CHI) project, a long-term Kaiser Permanente program to make a measurable impact on the health of a neighborhood through the use of community action to promote proven methods in preventative health.

Support of Safety Net Providers

Safety net providers are clinics and hospitals in the community that will treat patients regardless of their ability to pay. Kaiser Permanente recognizes that such clinics often have limited resources and is committed to sharing resources such as the Care Management Institute’s guidelines with them.