According to the Virginia Association of Free Clinic's website:
* A free clinic is a non-profit organization that provides health care at little or no cost to low income, uninsured patients.
* The clinics run off of private donations, city and county grants.
* They serve more than 65-thousand uninsured patients a year.
Focusing on our free clinic's and health care reform we checked in with the Bradley Free Clinic in Roanoke.
Clinic day at Bradley Free Clinic is something people without insurance rely on and with the promise of insurance for more than 30 million people we checked with Director, Estelle Avner about it's future.
She says, "What I'm finding Karen is that people all of us are uncomfortable with change."
People who don't have health insurance are expected to benefit from health care reform yet they have concerns about an uncertain future as well. Many are worried that places like the Bradley Free Clinic will disappear and that they won't be able to afford health insurance they are required to have.
People like Kathy Gaylor who has used the clinic for over 30 years and Melinda Beckner who in addition to Bradley relies on local emergency rooms for help with migraines.
Virginia Tech's Dr. Kerry Redican breaks down the specifics:
* By 2014 people are required to have health insurance
* There are some exceptions for low income people
* There will be subsidies and insurance exchanges to help with cost
Avner says, "Any health care system put into place will always have huge gaps."
Expanding dental services will be a change at local free clinics because of reform along with a focus and emphasis on prevention and wellness.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement