In World's Richest Country, the Uninsured Wait in Line Overnight for a Chance at Health Care

Here is an excerpt of an article from "Truthout". It speaks for itself. Please follow link to original, read the rest.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

In World's Richest Country, the Uninsured Wait in Line Overnight for a Chance at Health Care -- By Rose Aguilar, Truthout

Stan Brock never expected to see adults and children shivering in line in the middle of the night, hoping to get free medical, dental and vision care in the wealthiest country on earth. Now that he's seen it for years, he's no longer surprised. "It's quite common," he said. "People line up many, many hours before the event opens, which is normally at 5:30 in the morning."

Brock is the founder of Remote Area Medical (RAM), an all-volunteer mobile medical clinic that's been traveling to cities across the United States offering free health care since 1992. Brock founded RAM in 1985 to provide care to people living in the most remote areas of the Amazon rainforest. Seven years later, he was asked to bring the clinic to Knoxville, Tennessee. The invitations have since increased.

"You can close your eyes and stick a pin on the map of the United States and go there, and you're gonna find people by the hundreds, and in many cases by the thousands, that need services," said Brock.

"It's simply unaffordable, particularly in dental and vision care. A very, very small percentage of people in this country have insurance that covers those two key items. We're still seeing people dying of bad teeth in the United States," he said. "I'd like to see us work ourselves out of a job so we can concentrate our efforts where we began, in places like the Amazon and Haiti, of course, but we're bogged down here in the United States, I think, for years and years to come."

I met Brock at RAM's recent four-day clinic at the Oakland Coliseum, where they serve up to 800 patients a day and provided over $1 million in free services. It was their 663rd clinic. It takes about six months to raise the $175,000 to run the clinic, which is constantly buzzing with activity. At 3:30 AM, RAM volunteers give out 800 numbers. Whoever receives number 801 will have to come back that night and try again.

Sharon Williams, a 49-year-old former postal worker, stood in line at 11 PM, hoping to get her teeth examined. She was #153. Williams lost her job and her health insurance almost 12 years ago after she pulled her shoulder muscle while unloading a mail truck. "I'm still trying to get disability," she said. "If it weren't for family and friends, I would've lost everything."

At RAM, Williams had an eye exam, got free glasses and acupuncture, saw a chiropractor, and had dental work. She hasn't seen a dentist in over 12 years. "This is a beautiful thing. Where else would I be treated so well and find care like this?" .............................................. please follow link and read the rest.