prevented early intervention if the patients did not visit a primary care provider (Liberman, 2011.)
Free clinics are mostly nonprofit organizations that “provide medical, dental, pharmacy, and mental health services or prescriptions” to uninsured patients (with any immigration status) and rely heavily on volunteers, who are physicians, medical students, or other medical professionals. “Free clinics provide care to underserved communities, yet collaborative partnerships with such organizations remain largely neglected by medical schools throughout the nation” (Vanderwielen, 2015.) Most medical schools in New York are affiliated with at least one free clinic; no wonder why 20% of medical student from New York are interested in primary care compared …show more content…
For example, My Health LA (MHLA) is a no-cost health care program launched in October 2014 that offers low income people (according to Federal Poverty Level) with comprehensive health care. The people can be “uninsured county residents, regardless of immigration status or medical condition.” “MHLA relies on a budget of $61 million per year and does not require out-of-pocket payments or user fees. It offers care through 164 community clinic medical home sites, where patients receive primary and preventive health care services and some diagnostic services.” Of the estimated 400,000 currently uninsured in Los Angeles County, 280,000 are served by MHLA program. Perhaps, NYC can create a similar health care program for the uninsured by using the IDNYC program where “City’s municipal ID card” can function as an enrollee card or form of valid identification for uninsured New Yorkers. The city government and health department can also incorporate new efforts to improve access to primary care for uninsured New Yorkers into current efforts of New York City hospitals to meet their DSRIP (Medicaid Delivery System Reform Payment Incentive Program) goals, for example: by giving them more incentive to improve access to health care for “residually uninsured” population (Berlinger,
Free clinics are mostly nonprofit organizations that “provide medical, dental, pharmacy, and mental health services or prescriptions” to uninsured patients (with any immigration status) and rely heavily on volunteers, who are physicians, medical students, or other medical professionals. “Free clinics provide care to underserved communities, yet collaborative partnerships with such organizations remain largely neglected by medical schools throughout the nation” (Vanderwielen, 2015.) Most medical schools in New York are affiliated with at least one free clinic; no wonder why 20% of medical student from New York are interested in primary care compared …show more content…
For example, My Health LA (MHLA) is a no-cost health care program launched in October 2014 that offers low income people (according to Federal Poverty Level) with comprehensive health care. The people can be “uninsured county residents, regardless of immigration status or medical condition.” “MHLA relies on a budget of $61 million per year and does not require out-of-pocket payments or user fees. It offers care through 164 community clinic medical home sites, where patients receive primary and preventive health care services and some diagnostic services.” Of the estimated 400,000 currently uninsured in Los Angeles County, 280,000 are served by MHLA program. Perhaps, NYC can create a similar health care program for the uninsured by using the IDNYC program where “City’s municipal ID card” can function as an enrollee card or form of valid identification for uninsured New Yorkers. The city government and health department can also incorporate new efforts to improve access to primary care for uninsured New Yorkers into current efforts of New York City hospitals to meet their DSRIP (Medicaid Delivery System Reform Payment Incentive Program) goals, for example: by giving them more incentive to improve access to health care for “residually uninsured” population (Berlinger,