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October 1, 2010 in City
DeCristoforo leaving Health for All Project after 10 years
Ralph DeCristoforo, who heads the Health for All Project at Community-Minded Enterprises, is retiring. His project has connected tens of thousands of people with health care coverage.
(Full-size photo)
Few people have done as much to connect Spokane County residents with health care coverage as Ralph DeCristoforo, who retires today as Health for All Project coordinator at the Spokane nonprofit agency Community-Minded Enterprises.
The 59-year-old former Air Force captain, who recently underwent surgery for back injuries suffered in the military, sees health care as a social support necessary for a strong economy and not as a commodity for those who can afford it.
DeCristoforo estimates that since Dec. 1, 1999, Health for All has helped more than 50,000 people in Spokane County find public or private health care resources.
That doesn’t include the number of people helped statewide by social services workers DeCristoforo has trained and kept informed during his 10 years as project coordinator.
“He truly is our community’s brain trust on social service programs, particularly health care programs available publicly and privately,” said state Rep. John Driscoll, D-Spokane.
Driscoll, director of Project Access, a network of medical providers offering specialized care to the uninsured, has depended on DeCristoforo to help stabilize the lives of Project Access patients.
“Whenever I need information related to safety net programs, the first person I call is Ralph,” Driscoll said.
As a member of the Medical Clinics Committee, DeCristoforo has been a longtime advocate for the underserved, said Tina Bayne, associate professor and assistant dean of the undergraduate program at the Washington State University College of Nursing in Spokane. Bayne is the chairwoman of the group, which meets several times a year to discuss health care access for the poor.
“I see him as an ambassador for connecting persons without adequate health care coverage with available resources,” Bayne said. “He has done an enormous amount of good for Spokane.”
Jean Farmer, executive director of the Northeast Community Center, where DeCristoforo once volunteered, said his will be difficult shoes to fill, but she wouldn’t be surprised to see him emerge as a volunteer at some other social service agency.
“He will continue to look for new ways improve access to health care for families,” Farmer said.
DeCristoforo served in the Air Force for 24 years – 12 as an enlisted man and 12 as an officer. It was in the military, he said, that he learned how to translate “government speak” into English, a handy skill when navigating the labyrinth of government-run medical services.
While he was stationed in England in the early 1990s, DeCristoforo lived in the community, not on base, and received health care from the publicly funded National Health Service.
A British friend once told him, “You know, in England we have health care so we can work. In America, you have to work to get health care.”
They are words he recalled years later after immersing himself in the intricacies of an American health care system few can understand and many cannot afford.
After retiring from the Air Force in 1994, he obtained his master’s of health policy and administration from Washington State University-Spokane.
His thesis became the formula for the Health for All Project, a response to broad federal guidelines that allows the nonprofit organization to do outreach to any person who is potentially eligible for Medicaid.
“If we found out you weren’t eligible for Medicaid, we were allowed to link you for what you may be eligible for,” whether public or private health coverage.
“So many state-run programs are negatively branded for low-income or working poor when the average or above average person in Spokane County is eligible,” DeCristoforo said.
For example, DeCristoforo said, because of Apple Health for Kids, “there is no reason for any child in Eastern Washington to be uninsured because of the income guidelines,” which are 300 percent of the federal poverty level. “All of our uninsured children are under 300 percent.”
Yet it is estimated that 75,000 Washington children remain uninsured, largely because their families do not know they are eligible for coverage.
With the economic downturn, Health for All has seen a dramatic change in its clients, DeCristoforo said.
“Since January 2008, the whole population has changed,” DeCristoforo said, and he started seeing “people who have never had to ask for anything or look for services.”
Health for All clients are typically referred to it by other social services, clinics and emergency rooms. As many as 200 people a month are referred to the agency by Providence Holy Family Hospital’s emergency room alone.
Though he saw problems with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama earlier this year, he believes there is cause for hope in many of its provisions.
Removal of lifetime limits, prohibiting denial of coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and establishing health insurance exchanges are all necessary reforms.
But, he said, it’s insurance reform, not health care reform. “The financial mechanism is the tail wagging the dog.” Real reform would provide uniformity and structure, he said. It would benefit both society and the economy.
DeCristoforo believes society has a cost to it, and health care and education are two of those main costs.
“The amount of money you make shouldn’t be driving how much you get, because the amount you get is going to drive how much money you are able to make,” he said. “We pay for police and fire (protection). You don’t get more because you make more money.
“What is health care for?” DeCristoforo asks. “Once we answer that question as a community and a society, everything else will fall into place.”
Rights panel poorly understood 
Betty on October 01 at 7:43 a.m.
Congratulations Ralph to you and Darla,
Know it has been a long road but you really deserve some you time.
Thanks for all you have done over the years for others.
Betty Rhoda
MrNatural on October 01 at 8:11 a.m.
Thank You for all the help you have given to those in need. you serve to inspire others to make this world a better place
hawken on October 01 at 8:42 a.m.
We don’t want England’s type of socialized heath care. That is unless you are OK with rationed health care. Beware! All you senior citizens! The older you get, the more you are vulnerable to rationed care!
“Alan Milburn, England’s health secretary, admitted this week that rationing is part of the government’s modernisation agenda for the health service.” [published January, 2000]
http://www.bmj.com/content/320/7226/10.2.extract
We now have Obama care in place, socialized medicine like England. For Obama’s plan to be fully realized he must do two things:
1- Make it so costly and complicated for private business to provide private health care that they are forced to downgrade their private health care to the point that more people demand public health care. Obama care needs to force people into a socialized health care system. To do that, he must first make it impossible for small business to continue to be able to provide private health care. McDonalds is the first to say they don’t see how they can afford Obama care.
2- Obama care must overcome the state lawsuits filed by some 28 state attorney generals on a constitutional question. Namely, it is unconstitutional for the government to force people to buy health care. If Obama cannot force everyone to buy health care under his plan, Obama care will not be able to pay the bills for his plan. If one refuses to buy health care, they will be fined up to 2.5% of their income… collected by the IRS.
We have better options that socialized medicine like England. Let’s start by letting people buy health care across state lines… which the Democrats have block. Open competition brings down costs. There are many other things we can do as well. For a detail list see the 1993 Republican Health Reform Act.
http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2010/February/23/GOP-1993-health-reform-bill.aspx
misjustice on October 01 at 9:19 a.m.
Mr. DeCristoforo, thank you for your tireless work on behalf of our community. Your dedication to those that are less fortunate is an example of how caring individuals can work to progress the change we want to see. Additionally, thank you for your service to the nation at large with your service in the Air Force. Well done, sir. I salute you! ; )
johnclarke on October 01 at 10:21 a.m.
Yes, thank you Mr. DeCristoforo. You are a true public servant. Hawken…would you stand down there at the clinic and turn people away? Is health care only for those that can afford it?
If we have better options for health care, let’s hear your plan. The US is ranked 37th in the world in health care, so you better get started.
hawken on October 01 at 10:54 a.m.
I agree with Mr. DeCristoforo :
“Though he saw problems with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama earlier this year, he believes there is cause for hope in many of its provisions.
Removal of lifetime limits, prohibiting denial of coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and establishing health insurance exchanges are all necessary reforms.”
We can accomplish these things without totally socializing our health care system, the road we are on. Look to England which is cited in this article.
I don’t tear down my house from the foundation up to remodel my kitchen and bathrooms.
Reasonable reform… absolutely. Socialized medicine (Obama care)… absolutely not.
As of September 27, 2010… 57% of America want Obama care repealed. Count me in the majority.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/health_care_law
hawken on October 01 at 11:05 a.m.
I’m wondering why none of you address the point that Mr. DeCristoforo has problems with Obama care with all of your praise of what a great job he has done?
Yes, thank you Mr. DeCristoforo for your service. As well as your informed and objective assessment of Obama care.
hawken on October 01 at 11:13 a.m.
Here’s some breaking news…. moments ago… only 41% of Democrats say they would vote to re-elect the president….
If you think Obama care along with the socialization of so many other of our private sectors, doesn’t play a huge part in that shift… you are deceiving yourselves.
If all of this plays out in November,I suspect that you big government advocates will have much less to say in this forum.
If this does not play out in November, I will have to concede that all of these scientific polls got it wrong.
The poll that really counts will be held in November. However,,,, looks like me might have trouble, right here in River City” in November.
MrNatural on October 01 at 11:21 a.m.
Ok I’ll bite.
First the article is about recognizing someone performing a wonderful public service.
Second it does not elaborate on what exactly those problems with Obama’s health care legislation are.
Thirdly it might well be a criticism on the fact that the legislation did not go far enough due to corporate influence over conservative obstructionist.
Lastly most of us would prefer to praise this person’s deed instead of using it for a tactless conservative rant.
But that’s just my opinion…I could be wrong…
hawken on October 01 at 11:24 a.m.
Yes… Mr. Natural… you and I have been here before… You are very good at “cherry picking” while ignoring points that are hostile to your big government, world view.
Example in Point: Apparently, none of you big government advocates have anything to say about yesterday’s Editorial… “Shift Leaves Left In the Lurch.” Your silence is deafening!
misjustice on October 01 at 11:30 a.m.
“Though he saw problems with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama earlier this year, he believes there is cause for hope in many of its provisions.”
“Removal of lifetime limits, prohibiting denial of coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and establishing health insurance exchanges are all necessary reforms.”
“But, he said, it’s insurance reform, not health care reform.”
And that’s where we come in. This reform is only the first step towards implementing a better model of health care delivery. It is up to those of us that believe we can do better to continue to work to evoke the change we want to see. We have the camel’s nose under the tent with the new health insurance reform; it is the cornerstone upon which we can build on.
Many agree with Mr.DeCristoforo that insurance reform did not go far enough; and we will work towards that end, despite the naysayers and those that would attempt to block our efforts. The struggle is not over, it has only begun.
misjustice on October 01 at 11:32 a.m.
@ Mr. Natural; you could be wrong, but you’re not! ; )
MrNatural on October 01 at 11:33 a.m.
“Yes… Mr. Natural… you and I have been here before…”
hawken…you wouldn’t happen to be bald, wear a grey Nehru jacket, and carry around a white Persian cat?
Diana on October 01 at 11:44 a.m.
Hawken the Blogopotomus states ,”Open competition brings down costs”.
Please cite your source that this has happened in health insurance and health care in the United States, is happening or will happen. My health care costs show just the opposite with my for-profit health insurance premium having gone up 23% in the last two years. I just received notice of another rise of 13% coming next year. Anything about that in your Rasmussen polls?
And stop calling health care reform Obamacare or I’ll have to start calling you teabagger.
hawken on October 01 at 11:49 a.m.
misjustice:
Maybe you should read again my previous post that I agree with Mr. DeCristoforo…. There is really,,,, NOTHING,,,, I can take issue with, as he is quoted.
The Health Insurance Companies work on a 3% profit margin…. There are some 85 industries that have a larger profit margin. Maybe this can be a heads up for big government advocates to go after some of these more greedy industries?
http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2009/08/health-insurance-industry-ranks-86-by.html
We have the best health care system in the world, best physicians, best health care workers… operating on a 3% profit margin!
How many times have we heard about people coming from Canada, England and other countries world wide to escape their socialized medicine?
If all of those socialized health care systems…. why is it we have not heard of a single person going there to get their health care?
All of these troubling facts must cause big government advocates for socialized medicine incredible frustration!
The huge shift from the Moderate and Liberal ranks to small government must cause big government advocates incredible frustration!
I will admit that it is a bit exhausting for me to attempt….. to counter your big government world view…. and blind ideology since I seem to be temporarily outnumbered in large numbers in this forum…. Yet, on the larger scale, nationally, I am in the majority. I’ll just keep coming back as much as possible.
November doesn’t look good for you big government advocates… we’ll see.
Realistic Health Care Reform: Absolutely! Socialized Health Care (Obama Care): Absolutely not! Obama care needs to be repealed.
misjustice on October 01 at 11:54 a.m.
Diana; at least you gave the Blogopotomus fair warning! Girl, you crack me up!
hawken on October 01 at 11:55 a.m.
Diana… I’m trying to keep up here….
WE DO NOT HAVE OPEN COMPETITION IN HEALTH CARE INSURANCE! I think this is called “shouting” in email correspondence.
The Dems have consistently block ed the American people from buying health insurance across state lines!
Contact your liberal Democrat senators and congressmen/women and insist that they allow competition across state lines for us. Then come back and tell me competition does not work. We do not have competition in health care insurance thanks to the Democrats… Sorry… this fact is not arguable for the informed.
misjustice on October 01 at 11:59 a.m.
We do not have better health care outcomes due to the greed of the for profit insurance companies; their greed with be the ultimate reason for their demise.
hawken on October 01 at 12:13 p.m.
Ok… misjustice… I have cited and provided a foot note that the Health Care Insurance Companies work on a 3% profit margin….
Maybe your big government world view should go after other industries first….. how about Target Retail Stores (we all need clothes as well)…. or just pick one of the other 85 industries….
So help me here again… how is it that Health Care Insurance companies are greedy working on a 3% profit margin?
There are better options that socialized medicine.
So…. if our health care is so inferior to the rest of the world…. wonder why it is they all come to America for their health care? Wonder why we in America train so may physicians from all over the world? Answer: I don’t think the rest of the world is buying into your view. Oh yea…. neither is the majority of the people in the US buying your view…
Reasonable Reform: Absolutely…. Socialized Medicine (Obama Care): Absolutely not!
hawken on October 01 at 12:22 p.m.
Diana: Let me come back to you….. regarding competition in health care insurance… Can you at least acknowledge that we do not have competition in health care insurance….. that you and I cannot buy health care across state lines…. that your liberal Democrat friends have consistently blocked health care competition? Anything here you’re willing to admit? Or, are you just another big government ideologue that is incapable of proving a criticism you allege?
misjustice on October 01 at 12:36 p.m.
“In our current system, health insurance premiums go up year after year after year. As
premiums climb higher, private insurance becomes less and less affordable for working
Americans.
Between 1999 and 2008, average job-based family health insurance premiums more
than doubled, growing from $5,791 to $12,680 (an increase of 119 percent).1
Many insurance companies spend a substantial portion of the dollars they collect in premiums
on marketing, administration, and profits—not on health care. Some insurance companies
continue to earn billions of dollars in profits, even in this recession.
For the five top-earning insurance companies in 2008, average profits were $1.56
billion.2
These insurance companies reported spending an average of more than 18 percent
of their revenues on marketing, administration, and profits.
In 2008, executives of these companies were compensated millions of dollars in
salaries, stock options, and fringe benefits. That year, CEO compensation for these
companies ranged from $3 million to $24 million.”
http://www.familiesusa.org/assets/pdfs/health-reform/why-a-public-plan-is-important.pdf
This, Diana, is why your premiums continue to increase. It takes a lot of Benjamins to pay for marketing, admin which includes all those fancy schmancy office buildings, salaries, stock options, fringe benefits, AND PROFITS. All of these Benjamins are diverted from premiums, and away FROM the actual delivery of health care. Just imagine the health care delivery system we could build if those $$$$s were not diverted!
Medicare “E”, for Everyone! ; )
hawken on October 01 at 1:33 p.m.
mistustice is very good with her bock copy and paste of numbers that anyone can do if they just “Google.” Her retorts are predictable:
1- Block copy and paste
2- Address specifically, none of your block and paste on any given line as to where they are reasonable or justified in a world wide market.
3- Then use your block copy and paste to “beg the question” and use “Circular Logic”…. to reach your predetermined conclusion….typical logical fallacies. Beg The Question and Circular Logic.
Let me illustrate:
1- Health Care Insurance Companies Are Greedy (despite the fact they work on a 3% profit margin).
2- How do you know they are greedy?
3- Because my block and copy proves their greedy.
4- Your block and copy doesn’t prove they are greedy on it’s face if they are working on a 3% profit margin.
5- They are greedy, because my block and copy says they are greedy.
6- Compared to other industries, based upon their profit margin, they don’t appear to be greedy at a 3% profit margin.
7- They are greedy because my block and copy says they are greedy.
8- What about the underlying costs of health care that insurance companies have to cover?
9- Doesn’t matter… health care insurance companies are greedy because my block copy and paste prove they are greedy.
10- Maybe, we need to see if we can reform the underlying costs that health care insurance companies have to pay to cover the costs?
11- No, health care insurance is greedy because my block copy and paste show they are greedy.
12- How did you determine that any one line of your block copy and paste is confirms that health insurance companies are greedy.
13- Because my block copy and paste proves, on it’s face that they are greedy…. Enough!
So then what is your solution? Socialized Medicine! Medicare E!
Are you not begging the question and using circular reasoning in your argument to imply you have a valid conclusion that socialized medicine is the solution? What do you mean…. “Beg The Question?” What do you mean… Circular Reasoning?
What about this… what if we analyze each line of your block and copy using some acceptable standard and see if that means they are greedy? I’m the standard… they are greedy!
MrNatural on October 01 at 2:04 p.m.
(sq)hawkin…can’t you just honor a difference of opinion?…
misjustice has her sources of information and so do you…and I personally agree with her by fact and philosophy. If anyone cuts and pastes from conservative “stink-tanks” it’s YOU!
Your galling self-righteous sanctimonious myopia is not worth sparring with anymore because you cannot wrap your brain around someone who disagrees with you. This isn’t a contest of boorish intimidation. State you opinion and respect others!
My God I’m beginning to miss Daisy
misjustice on October 01 at 2:12 p.m.
@ Mr. Natural; Lol! Yeah, by comparison, she looks pretty fair and balanced! ; )
I liked your movie quote which went right over Dr. [sq]Hawkin’s head! ; )
Here’s a quote (I’m unsure of the author) that speaks to Mr. DeCristoforo’s, and others’, efforts to help our fellow citizens;
“Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working.”
We will keep on working! ; )
hawken on October 01 at 2:20 p.m.
My opinion is supported by 57% of Americans…. Moderates and Liberals alike are moving to my opinion in historic numbers…. by account of our own SR.
As of today…. only 41% of Democrats says they would vote to re-elect Obama…. only 39% of Americans as of today would vote to re-elect Obama….
Still, hard core, big government advocates take it personally when they are challenged….. chanting “we are tolerant!”
They shout their big government world view everywhere…. and then say “can’t you just honor a difference of opinion?”
While I defend and honor your right to your opinion…. I have no honor for the content of your opinion. There is a huge difference.
misjustice on October 01 at 2:34 p.m.
“The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one often comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won’t.”
Henry Ward Beecher
Thayne on October 01 at 3:08 p.m.
Hey squaken, please give a link (non extreme right wing) that says the people of countries such as Canada, England and France don’t like their system of heath care. Also, the 3% profit margin is on top of administrative costs, penalties and other ways that the insurance companies screw their customers with. I know you would be incapable of objectively watching it, but, Michael Moore’s movie Sicko does an excellent job of explaining how the health insurance robbery started.
Misjustice - you need to stop trying so hard to have a battle of wits with an unarmed man.
Diana on October 01 at 3:23 p.m.
Your opinion is supported by 57% of Americans according to Rasmussen - of course, we all know who Rasmussen works for. Of course you’re citing Rasmussen. The results fit what you already believe and are the only polls Fox News cites.
We don’t really need a Fox News recap. Cite a credible source next time.
hawken on October 01 at 3:26 p.m.
Thayne;
Check with misjustice… she can instruct you on the use of Google….
And, maybe Mr. Natural…. maybe he can help you with the sites that would be acceptable for you… he’s a “cherry picking master” way above my embarrassing community college class, as per misjustice.
I have a hard enough time trying to keep up with you big government advocates… let alone trying to do all of your homework for you.
I am trying, out of courtesy, to respond to you all. It is a challenge, I must admit.
hawken on October 01 at 3:31 p.m.
Diana… you’re back…. and still incapable to concede that WE DO NOT HAVE COMPETITION IN HEALTH CARE. There I go shouting again…. Please see my comments to Thayne.
Diana on October 01 at 3:54 p.m.
Hawken, no thanks. I don’t really need the Fox News recaps and the nonsense percentages you cite. Your lack of understanding of the complete health care picture in the United States and blaming Democrats for all our woes across the board gives you no credibility. Teabagger.
MrNatural on October 01 at 4:09 p.m.
…hey hawken…peace be with you
What we are saying (speaking for myself) is you don’t have to respond to us at all…and some of us don’t feel we need to answer your questions…especially if we “feel” they are loaded or biased…this whole thing has become somewhat exasperating …Just let it be…I know it’s tempting when you have all this bottled up wisdom and a desire to convince someone but maybe just agree to disagree…again this is an opinion board and not a contest of wits (ok sometimes it is)
There will always be some impasse between us Big Government types to your Big Corporate types…it’s a matter of philosophy…for me it was the way I was raised…hence the reason I admire the person in this story…
So eloquently speak your piece…we will read it…and offer our thoughts as well…
mind you…I’m not telling you what to do heaven forbid…ok…this is just a suggestion…
Have a good weekend y’all
misjustice on October 01 at 4:26 p.m.
@ Thayne; we’re talking by, and around, not to… ; )
@ Diana; You warned him! ; )
@ Mr. Natural; here, here, well said! ;
hawken on October 01 at 5:01 p.m.
“Peace Be With You” is an initial comment that one wants to readily accept and believe…
But, then you reveal it as disingenuous and then discredit our salutation with your instructional elitism… “to let it be”… and your sarcasm relating to…. “bottled up wisdom.”
Let me say, Peace Be With You Mr. Natural….
I’m sure I will be interacting with you next week….
Saturday is supposed to be a very nice day!
Diana on October 01 at 7:48 p.m.
Anyway, congratulations to Ralph and thank you for helping so many people.
Sorry the thread got hijacked.
RalphD on October 01 at 7:56 p.m.
Thanks you for all of the supportive comments on the work that I have done. As I read all of the comments above, there are facts on all of the sides to support the current discord, er, discourse. I feel that the question at the end of the article, “…What is health care for…” has to come to the front, be discussed and answered before sustainable positive change will occur. This answer must be in front of every conversation that we have from that point on so that all of us are focused. I feel that this question has been skirted because it will possibly bring left, right and center together, and that scares people, especially those who think they must not think like their neighbor.
Again, thank all of yu for your supportive words.