Healthcare Is So Horrible Here that Thousands Rely on Free Clinics—

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/healthcare-so-horrible-here-thousands-rely-free-clinics-and-youre-fined-if-you-dont

Healthcare Is So Horrible Here that Thousands Rely on Free Clinics—And You're Fined if You Don't Use Prescription Drugs



Although Coachella Valley in Southern California has become synonymous with music festivals, Goldenvoice, the company that produces those events, also helped sponsor the first massive four-day health clinic this year. Free medical, dental and vision care was provided to nearly 2,500 uninsured patients at the Riverside County Fairgrounds.

According to the California Healthcare Foundation, this state now has the largest number of people without health insurance -- 6.9 million –- more than any state in the country. More than 20% of Californians remain uninsured. Employees in businesses of all sizes are more likely to be uninsured in California than any other state. About 60% of the uninsured population are Latino.

Pamela Congdon, president of the Remote Area Medical’s California affiliate (RAM CA) and Volunteer Coordinator, told me:

“The California Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (CALAOMS) helps sponsor RAM CA. They allow us to use their office, use our staff, including myself and our Associate Director, without any charges. I work for CALAOMS, and when I asked if they would help us bring RAM in Northern California, they agreed. Stan Brock asked me to start the affiliate -- RAM CA –- which ran the clinic in Coachella. Please say that the clinic is run by the greatest group of volunteers.”

Indeed, over 1,200 general and healthcare professionals volunteered to provide more than 10,000 individual services with more than $1,000,000 in value. Over those four days, twelve hours a day, an estimated 600 custom pairs of eyeglasses were cut, 750 medical exams administered, and 1,300 dental patients treated.

[Fumesucker]

1. The concluding paragraphs

But the insurance industry has a pre-existing condition known in technical terminology as greed. Not to mention the pharmaceutical industry; the annual turnover of revenue for prescription drugs by the top ten companies is estimated to be worth $700-billion dollars. In my new Medicare Advantage Enrollment Kit, there are listed a few thousand prescription drugs, from Abacavir to Zyvox. Okay, now cue that soothing voiceover to recite all their side effects, from anal leakage to zits.

As for me, I owe my longevity to never taking any legal drugs.

[pipoman]

2. these clinics

Are considered as part of the overall healthcare infrastructure. Those eligible are considered to have adequate access to healthcare..

As for the pharacudicl industry has liberal discounts and free programs to be sure Washington isn't deluged with complaints of people being unable to afford "life saving" medicine causing calls for price regulations allows pharm companies to continue price raping everyone else.