Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance - Mary Potter Program for Human Dignity

What is it?

The Mary Potter Program for Human Dignity was established to help make health care available for the sick within the South Bay community of Los Angeles, regardless of their ability to pay. Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance recognizes the importance of caring for individuals who might not otherwise have access to these services. We attempt to reveal God’s love by providing necessary medical health care services while preserving the individual’s dignity and respect. Services provided include all medical health care services normally provided by Providence Health and Services facilities, including acute care hospitalization, sub-acute and long-term care, home health care, and outpatient ancillary services.

Who is it for?

Qualified applicants must have a demonstrated need for medical health services. Applicants must be unable to pay for their care, and will be asked to provide acceptable income verification such as copies of income tax returns or recent payroll stubs. A person’s eligibility for this program is based on his or her family size and income using the federal poverty level standards. Each person’s bill for care will be adjusted according to level of income.

Anyone may request that a patient be considered for the program. Upon referral, applicants’ cases are evaluated based on family size, income, assets, expenses, ability to work, age, and severity of medical need. An application form for the program must be completed and returned to the Financial Counseling Department. Applicants may be required to apply for Medi-Cal and have their Medi-Cal eligibility determined prior to accessing the program. When applicants are admitted to the program, there is no distinction of any kind in their care. Program participants receive the same compassionate, high-quality care as any patient at any of our facilities.

Why do they do it?

Providence Little Company of Mary is experiencing a growing proportion of uninsured and underinsured patients, and the need for charity care services has increased considerably. The Mary Potter Program helps meet this growing need. Mary Potter was the foundress of the Sisters of Little Company of Mary – a group of more than 400 Catholic sisters worldwide dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and caring for and preserving the dignity of the sick and dying.

Impact

The Mary Potter Program significantly impacts the lives of uninsured and underinsured patients in the communities served by the Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance. In 2012, the program served 2,753 patients and forgave charges of $4 million.

Contact: Paul Makarewicz
Director, Mission Leadership
Telephone: 310-303-6182
E-mail: Paul.Makarewicz@providence.org