DMC Community Ambassador Joyce Flynn Pays It Forward

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ince becoming a DMC Community Ambassador, Detroit resident Joyce Flynn estimates she has talked to at least 25 people about the Healthy Michigan Plan. It was Flynn's friend who first got her involved in the program.

"My friend is an ambassador herself and told me about the program," Flynn recalls. "She asked me if I wanted to do it too, but I was hesitant because I wasn't seeing many people anymore being that I had been sick myself."

Still, Flynn agreed to try it. Not long after that conversation, Flynn was on the phone with another friend and asked how she was feeling.

"My friend said she had been in pain after hurting her back, but had no insurance to do anything about it," Flynn says. "I told her I was a DMC Community Ambassador, and we took it from there."

Since then, Flynn regularly brings up the Healthy Michigan Plan with friends and even strangers when out and about around town.

"I'll go up to people and ask them if they have insurance," she says. "I was at a seminar sitting next to a few guys. I asked them if they had insurance. They were kind of shy about it, but they admitted they didn't. I turned in their names and numbers too."

Most of the individuals whose names Flynn has submitted to the DMC have gone on to enroll in the Healthy Michigan Plan.

"A few didn't meet the criteria, but most did," she says.

Flynn has earned several $10 gift cards when the contacts she has shared with the DMC successfully enrolled.

"I enjoy it," she said. "Once I got started, I couldn't believe how quickly I had people calling me saying they heard I could help them get enrolled. I'm always wanting to help people."

As for training, Flynn said she has been supplied with informational pamphlets to pass out, and she keeps handy the name and number of a DMC contact person to whom she can direct any questions.

"Many people don't realize they can get insurance," she says. "Some think they have to have kids or be on some type of assistance."