|
|
|
| What is a Free Clinic? | A Free Clinic is a private, nonprofit, community-based or faith-based organization that provides compassionate, quality health care at little or no charge to low-income, uninsured people through heavy use of volunteer health professionals and partnerships with other health-related organizations. |
| Uninsured, Non-elderly Adults in Virginia | According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14.2% of non-elderly adults in Virginia are uninsured. Of 664,409 uninsured, non-elderly adults, approximately 66.5%, or 441,831, have incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. In 2004, Virginia's Free Clinics met the health care needs of approximately 14% of this target population. |
| Virginia has a large number of Free Clinics | There are 46 Free Clinics in the Commonwealth with a total of 57 clinic sites serving residents of 104 cities and counties. Virginia has the second most Free Clinics of any state in the country - North Carolina has the most. |
| Statewide Impact | In 2004, Free Clinics provided 62,949 low-income, uninsured Virginians with more than $69 million of "billable" health care services. In addition, nearly $4 million in related health services (e.g. health education, medical case management, social services) was provided, for a total of nearly $73 million in health services provided by Free Clinics in 2004. |
| Cost-Effectiveness | Total Free Clinic operating costs in 2004 were $15,901,487. For every $1.00 they spent, Free Clinics provided access to $4.58 in health services for their patients. This strong ratio is due to Free Clinics' extraordinary ability to leverage the volunteer and charitable capacity of the health system. |
| Volunteerism | 9,672 Virginians volunteered in Free Clinics in 2004. This included 2,473 physicians, 1,116 nurses, 194 nurse practitioners, 598 dentists, 246 dental hygienists, 244 pharmacists, 117 mental health counselors, 896 other health professionals, and 3,788 non-clinical volunteers. |
| Medical Care | In 2004, Free Clinics provided 119,182 general medical visits worth $10.1 million, and 36,269 specialty medical visits worth $5.7 million. |
| Prescription Medications | In 2004, Free Clinics provided 562,550 prescription medications worth $36.3 million to their patients. Medicines donated by pharmaceutical manufacturers accounted for approximately 93% of this total. |
| Dental Care | 31 Virginia Free Clinics currently provide dental care. A total of 21,417 dental visits worth $4.5 million were provided in 2004. |
| Hospital/Lab Support | Hospitals and lab companies contributed nearly $12 million of in-kind services to Free Clinic patients in 2004. |
| Mental Health Counseling | In 2004, 27 Free Clinics provided 7,598 counseling visits worth $688,842. |
| Free Clinic funding comes mostly from the private sector - 80% of the funding for Virginia's Free Clinics is contributed by private sources (e.g., United Ways, businesses, foundations, churches, civic organizations, individuals, and more). Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield alone has contributed over $7.75 million to Free Clinics since 1992. The Commonwealth of Virginia appropriated $921,400 to Free Clinics in FY 2005. | |
|
Free Clinics do not claim to be the solution to the problem of the uninsured, but rather are an important part of the health safety net right now, providing access to health care for tens of thousands of uninsured Virginians. |
|
| Virginia is home to the nation's oldest Free Clinic association - Founded in 1993, the mission of the Virginia Association of Free Clinics is to support and strengthen Free Clinics and advocate for the populations they serve. Based in Glen Allen, the VAFC employs three full-time staff and is governed by a 15-member board. | |
| For
more information, contact: 10231 Telegraph Road, Suite B Glen E-mail: info@vafreeclinics.org Web: www.vafreeclinics.org |
|
