Skip to Main
Covid 19

Wellston Clinic Offers Financial Relief to Patients While Seeking Relief in Lawsuit

9&10 Logo
9&10 Logo
9&10 Logo

The owners of two northern Michigan medical clinics say the coronavirus is hurting their business, and their patients, financially speaking. So now they want to give back to the community, while also moving forward with action against the Whitmer Administration.

They are two very different actions – but the owners are hoping for similar results.

The Wellston Medical Center in Manistee County, and Primary Health Services in Ludington, are owned by Jordan and Emily Warnsholz.  They made the decision to forgive $214,000 of their patient’s medical debt. Jordan says, “What would probably help the most is easing the financial burden of the community members. So to do that we have forgiven the medical debt for all of our patients in both of our clinics for any service that was provided prior to January 1, 2020. There’s been families with, collectively, maybe $5,000 or so. But it’s for all 7,000 of our patients at both clinics whether the medical debt was five dollars or a family that was $5,000. It’s all forgiven.”

In the current economic climate, they feel their patients need that money to take care of their families. Jordan Warnsholz says this wasn’t money the clinics had in their bank account anyway, so it’s not costing them anything extra. They just felt like it was the right thing to do.  “So this was not money we had in our accounts that we just gave away, this was money that was owed to us through individual community members… it was easier than writing a check.” He adds, “We really hope this will help our community members worry less about their financial stress and more about their families and spend time with their families.”

Patient Beverly Stone thinks the debt forgiveness is an incredible gesture. “When you go to the doctor you expect you’re going to pay. And with Jordan there’s a lot of patients that don’t have the money. They don’t need to worry on top of that, they want to be healthy. I think if so many people would do half of what Jordan and his wife Emily are doing it would be great. It’s heartwarming to know we have people like them.”

The debt forgiveness is aimed at getting some financial relief for patients in rural communities, but also comes with a challenge. “Anyone who has any capacity to help the people around them, we hope this inspires them to do that.”

At the same time, the clinics are looking for some relief for themselves as well. They’re now part of a brand new federal lawsuit against Governor Whitmer, the Attorney General, and the Director of Department of Health and Human Services. The 60+ page suit alleges “immeasurable and irreparable harm from the Governor’s Executive Orders.”

Jordan Warnsholz says, “Seeing the personal toll these restrictions have had on individuals, seeing the personal hardship people are under losing their jobs, their depression because of it and their despair, their inability to get routine care which is leading to other health emergencies. Seeing the human toll of these restrictions is what really has led to what we’re doing here.”

The lawsuit argues that many decisions made by the Governor have “resulted in severe restrictions on the rights and liberties of both private individuals and businesses”, and adds that “medical providers are on the brink of financial ruin, facing extreme revenue shortages”.

Warnsholz says, “It’s not to say, ‘hey we shouldn’t have any restrictions at all,’ that is not it. Some of these restrictions are absolutely necessary. But a lot of the restrictions were passed about six weeks ago, they were so broad and so undefined and so restrictive, and so prohibitive, that it’s caused a lot of collateral damage, really too much collateral damage and really unnecessary damage.”

Warnsholz says the restrictions were so vague, “that (it) would’ve been nice if you could’ve defined it from the get-go. This would’ve prevented a lot of unnecessary damage to people’s mental health, physical health, emotional health. So moving forward we’re hoping these lawsuits will help better define the parameters and what’s allowed, to prevent collateral damage and that’s why we’re doing it.”

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is funding the legal battle – Wellston Medical Center says seven businesses from around the state are named in the group of lawsuits representing different sectors of the economy, asking for clarity and a better way forward.

Warnsholz adds, “I certainly would not want to be in Governor Whitmer‘s shoes. She’s going to take heat from either side no matter what she says and I understand that. In no way am I trying to bash Governor Whitmer. I understand she’s in a very difficult spot and I do respect her.”

In the lawsuit, the defendants are seeking a “declaratory judgment” that the clinics can continue their business operations; or a declaration that two of the Executive Orders violate the Michigan constitution.  The plaintiffs are also seeking relief preventing the state from enforcing Executive Orders 2020-17 and 2020-77; and costs and expenses of the legal action, including attorneys’ fees.

9&10 Logo
9&10 Logo

Local Trending News