INGLEWOOD – “Tetanus shot! Get your tetanus shot!”
A baby wailed as a woman in khaki shorts and a t-shirt with large blue letters on the back reading “VOLUNTEER” shuffled by. She had a needle in hand, prepped to administer the booster shot to any willing patient.
“Every 10 years, everyone needs one,” she continued to yell.
The free medical clinic – sponsored by Remote Area Medical Foundation of Nashville, Tenn. – made its way to the Forum in Inglewood, where the RAM Foundation set 45 medical exam rooms, 75 dental chairs and 25 eye exam stations. Since 1985, the foundation, billing itself as the “pioneers of no-cost health care,” has traveled across the country to both urban and rural communities where health care needs are great.
But in a sign of the times, thousands lined up beginning at 3 a.m. last week on the first day of the eight-day clinic that runs from Aug. 11 through Aug. 18. Those who came to the Forum sought treatment for a variety of neglected health issues, even as President Obama and Congress wrestled with universal health care legislation that might one day render the Inglewood scene obsolete. Until that day arrives, however, free health clinics like this seem likely to draw thousands who are uninsured or underinsured.
A pair of new glasses
After seeing a flyer for the free clinic at church, Lauren Halsey, 22, arrived at The Forum as soon as the parking lot opened at 3 o’clock Wednesday morning to be one of the first in line when the clinic opened at 5:30 a.m. She wasn’t the only one. “It was gross how we were all outside waiting in this long line with our tickets to come in,” Halsey said. “It wasn’t for a concert or a game. We were all here because we need care.”
After finally entering the Forum, the one-time home of the Los Angeles Lakers, and making her way to a dentist chair, Halsey was surprised that her checkup resulted in getting a tooth pulled. “I hadn’t been to the doctor in a long time, so I had no idea I needed my tooth pulled,” she said between grimaces of pain. “I guess I had a baby tooth piece still stuck or something.”
John Thomas, 49, also spent his morning at the clinic. He said he has been in need of glasses ever since he could no longer pass the vision test to continue his career as a truck driver. “Right now, I don’t have an income to buy any glasses on my own and I don’t have insurance,” he said.
Many of those who attended the free clinic, including Halsey and Thomas, are uninsured. Many others have health insurance, but still cannot afford the costs of medical services.
The vast majority of patients needed either dental or vision services, said Pamela Hearn, executive director of Catholic Healthcare West, which provided RAM with supplies and vendors for the event,
“A lot of people here may have insurance but not dental or vision,” she said.
Since last month, California stopped including dental and vision coverage under MediCal. The state also capped enrollment in its health insurance program for children in under the age of 19 in low-income working families. Extending affordable health-care coverage to the uninsured or under-insured is one of the underpinnings of President Obama’s campaign for health-care reform.
Picking and choosing the ailment to treat
“While reform is obviously essential for the 46 million Americans who don’t have health insurance, it will also provide more stability and security to the hundreds of millions who do,” the President said in his weekly address on August 8.
Obama used last week to tour the country in a series of public meetings to further explain his health care reform plan. The president’s critics have called the reform “socialized medicine,” arguing that this recession is not the time to charge already-burdened taxpayers with yet more taxes.
“Yea, well those people don’t experience this, they never will and never have,” Halsey said while sitting in the bleachers of the Forum, overlooking the crowds of people below getting immunization shots, teeth checked or blood pressure taken. She continued to argue that investing in universal health care, despite the current state of the economy, is an investment in humanity.
Nineteen-year-old Monica Gonzalez, a dental assistant volunteering at the clinic, didn’t express any type of support for or opposition against the proposed health care reform packages. She only said that some type of care has to be available to the uninsured.
“People who don’t have coverage, they have to go with what they need the most,” Gonzalez said. “If they have a medical problem, they have to pick and choose what they want to pay for.”
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More and more people will find themselves and their kids going to a free health care clinic as the economy gets worse and more and more people loose their job and their health care insurance and benefits.The Los Angeles County offers free and low cost health care services and programs to the residents of Los Angeles County.The programs covers pregnant woman,families,children and adults,disabled and people 65 and those who are older.Everyone can use the programs regardless of age, race or immigration status.
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Ok I’m italian and I would to know what do you think in USA. I have read in the papers that in USA many people are against this measure because it would cause an increase in taxes. Here in italy would be impossible to remove the health care free for the public opinion and personally I think that a state should has the duty to ensure it. Then I think that with the pubblic health the Americans will not pay the insurance, isn’t it? What do you think of all this? And excuse for my rude English.
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This is seems to be interesting.I thing every civilization in South La would be get excellent medical service.Most of countries are serving free medical service like this.But they didn’t maintain it..medical billing
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At least primary health care should be universal in the first faze; it’s a human right in every decent country and I think US citizens deserve it as well.
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Having these free health clincs are really a life saver for many that have no other means for regular checkup. I think more cities need to implement this sort of thing so that alot more people have access to health care.
Out health care situation is getting worse by the day , we need health care workers
it is amazing how expensive healthcare really is but it’s nice to see free clinics popping up throughout our country to help people who really need help
It seems to be something interesting.I any civilization in the southern countries would get excellent medical service.Most win a free medical care like this.
Health care is seemingly always going to be an issue in this country
I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to minimum health care no matter what their status is. We need healthy individuals to maintain a healthy country.
I agree with the comment above
I’m in totally in favor of these types of clinics. Get health care to people that need it the most.
Seems to be a good deal for everyone involved
Saving money is a good thing when it comes to health care, good job here
Agree with the comments above me…
That is just wonderful, I wish we had a free health clinic in my city, health care is just getting way to expensive.
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Health care, even in the simplest form, would go a long way for this community. We have many patients at our Texas drug rehab center and our Florida rehab center that have no health clinics and have suffered because of it. Our Pennsylvania drug rehab center also fields a lot of patients that have never been to any sort of health clinic.
Thanks for posting!
The reform of public health services begun by Obama, as though is good it was for the population and is comprehensible to business, for the state becomes a hard load. Reform has two serious disadvantages – unreliable sources of financing and shortage of possibilities for reduction of expenses on public health services.
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It is very important we are able to save money. Good to hear they are doing these clinics.
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This is very good work as human being what they are doing. The clinic will provide various health care to anyone who needs it, and all of the care is provided by volunteers who are donating their time to help the community.
True. I believe <a >drug rehab</a> should have available health services.
This is the kind of news we need to hear more often. If only more of these types of clinics would be available to many more people that need it that the most.
Free clinics? That’s amazing.
health care can provide a great increase in new city residents, I agree with the health reform.
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