DuPage Health Coalition (DHC) has opened doors to excellent healthcare for uninsured and underinsured families for twenty years, building a coalition where health, human service, and community leaders partner to ensure an efficient, effective health safety net for low-income neighbors who live, work, and raise families in DuPage County.
Addressing health inequities since our inception; 61,000+ uninsured individuals have been served through the Access DuPage program alone. Our network of volunteer providers includes every hospital in DuPage, dozens of enrollment sites, and thousands of medical and community volunteers. Access DuPage coordinates enrollment, specialty care referral, and navigation services, and pays a significant portion of members’ medication costs. Every dollar of direct cost is matched by more than ten dollars in donated services. Last year alone, health partners donated more than 34 million dollars in care.
The early focus was care for the uninsured, but after several years of operation, it was determined that the needs of the community favored a broader mission. Newer initiatives include Silver Access ACA Premium Assistance (2015) and the DuPage Dispensary of Hope (2017). We also work as a planning council, bringing together stakeholders to drive health care system change reducing barriers and health disparities. COVID-19 highlights what we have always known. Affordable access to healthcare is essential. We have responsively grown programs and launched new programs offering face masks, flu vaccines, thermometers, and pulse oximeters.
Heavily dependent on grant funding and donations, DHC collaborates with a diversified network of partners, many committing substantial funds annually. We are careful stewards of our resources, with 95% of revenue going directly to patient care. Guided by a shared belief that income should not be a barrier to good health, our community collaborations ensure that in DuPage, it is not. DHC is committed to addressing inequities through programming and community efforts that support cooperative high functioning networks of care that are culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, efficient, and effective. We are here to help.
Spotlight Guest
Kara Murphy, President
