With the economy in shambles and millions of jobs lost over the past two years, it’s not surprising most Americans are reviewing every expense with an eye toward saving money. And more and more of us have opted out of spending on health care by delaying or postponing visits to the doctor or other medical procedures. Perhaps the thinking becomes, “Well, it only hurts a little and maybe it will get better. But the first of the month is coming fast and I need to pay that mortgage."
The staggering cost of medical care in this country hits hardest at those who cannot afford it or have been marginalized by losing their jobs. The short-term need to balance our budgets – we can’t just keep printing more money – leads to long-term consequences when health care is ignored.
Clearly, something needs to be done about this. But the question is: what?
There are alternatives to expensive private insurance. While there are government programs like Medicaid, the eligibility requirements may essentially mean exhausting all of your personal assets before you qualify. Facing catastrophic and potentially terminal illnesses, this may be an only option, but in other cases, many communities have free clinics you can turn to.
While perhaps not offering the highest-tech equipment or the most personal service provided by the best insurance, free clinics are an alternative that people who fall in between the cracks find themselves turning to more and more.
Free clinics are operated by various groups from religious to non-governmental social services organizations and even some very well-funded private hospitals. While demand for their services has been high in recent years, many have been around for quite some time. But the services offered vary greatly from site to site.
There are clinics that offer all types of modern medical imaging as well as dental care and simple, outpatient procedures. There are clinics specifically for women and some for pregnant women only. It is not uncommon to find clinics designated to serve the elderly or children only.
Many communities may have clinics dedicated solely to serving HIV-positive patients. Some clinics, which may have been founded in an ethnic neighborhood, may have a name associated with the group that founded it years ago but are more than likely today to serve everyone they can in their community.
There are also mobile clinics, often with a specific task at hand, such as eye care or breast cancer screening that visit different locations depending on their schedules. Some of the most renowned medical schools and hospitals in the country support their local communities with free services and clinics as well.
Most free clinics have some form of professional accreditation or, at the very minimum, state licensing to practice medical care.
If you need their services or know someone who does, most clinics have some presence online you can search or likewise, there are public resources available in many communities that can guide you to a provider who may be able to help in difficult times. And you can check the Department of Health and Human Services website for further information on how to locate a clinic.
