Not What the Doctor Ordered

Bayou La Batre's family doctor is featured in next week's edition of U.S. News and World Report.

Dr. Regina Benjamin graces the cover along with Steven Spielberg, Robert Gates and Lance Armstrong as one of America's Best Leaders.

The article is called "Big City Healthcare in a Tiny Rural Town"... and talks about her struggle to keep her clinic going through natural disasters and money trouble. The clinic was flooded during Hurricane Katrina and gutted by a fire a few months later.

Dr. Benjamin just found out that she has a new round of money problems. She was told that her clinic would get some leftover medical grant money from the Department of Human Resources. She was going to use that money to finish building her new 8-thousand square foot clinic.

State Representative Spencer Collier says he personally called DHR and they agreed to help. "I've had discussions with the Department of Human Resources and at one point they agreed this was the best expenditure of the money." But when News 5 called DHR, a spokesperson says helping the Bayou clinic was nothing more than an informal discussion.

Instead, the state plans to use that money to help 23 families with housing instead.

Collier says housing is important but this grant is designated for medical purposes. "I don't think it's housing versus medical needs. That's not the point. There is a huge unmet need in housing. I don't disagree with that but this is the only funding that can be used for medical needs. This is it."

A county document obtained by News 5 shows the cities where the 23 designated families live.

Grand Bay 3
Coden 6
Irvington 1
Mobile 10
Prichard 2
Chickasaw 1