Uninsured in Atlanta Area to Receive Help as Health Care Reform Passes
Those Without Insurance Still in Need of Access to Medical Care
ATLANTA, March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- In light of the passage of health care reform legislation, the National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC) will hold a large, one-day free health clinic near Atlanta on Saturday, March 27. This clinic is for uninsured people who are in need of medical care now.
"Even though Congress just passed a health care reform bill, it may take years before many of its provisions will take effect, so millions of people will continue to go without insurance until then," NAFC Executive Director Nicole Lamoureux said. "There are approximately 42 million uninsured people throughout the U.S., including more than 1.7 million in the state of Georgia, who are in need of access to health care now."
Many of the more than 7,000 people who attended the five previous large free clinic events in Houston, New Orleans, Little Rock, Kansas City and Hartford found out that they had health issues they didn't know about before attending the event. Physicians at these events dealt with multiple health conditions that saved people's lives. Much the same is expected to happen at Saturday's free clinic at the Georgia International Convention Center. At the previous free clinic events, doctors typically found that more than 90 percent of the patients had three or more life-threatening conditions, such as cardio-vascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and pulmonary disease.
"In addition to providing needed care, these clinics connect the uninsured with safety-net providers such as free clinics near where they live for regular treatment on an ongoing basis," Lamoureux said.
Uninsured residents of the Atlanta area should call 877-233-5159 toll-free as soon as possible to schedule appointments for Saturday's free health clinic at the Georgia International Convention Center. Walk-ins will be accepted, but they will be seen on a first-come-first-served basis, so scheduling an appointment is the best way to avoid a long wait.
Several hundred doctors, other medical providers and non-medical volunteers are expected to participate in the C.A.R.E. (Communities Are Responding Everyday) Clinic sponsored by the NAFC. They will provide care for a wide range of medical issues at no cost to participants from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.
In addition to the toll-free number for patients to register for the C.A.R.E. Clinic, patients and volunteers also can find information about the clinic online at: http://freeclinics.us/. In addition, volunteers, both medical and non-medical, may register at: www.regonline.com/Atlanta_CARE_Clinic.
About the National Association of Free Clinics:
The National Association of Free Clinics is the only nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of more than 1,200 free clinics and the people they serve in the United States.
Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NAFC is an effective advocate for the issues and concerns of free clinics, their volunteer workforce of doctors, dentists, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, technicians and other health care professionals, as well as the patients served by free clinics in communities throughout the nation.
SOURCE National Association of Free Clinics
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