Casino Kostenlos Spielen Ohne Anmeldung Farmerama Poker Slots

Casino Kostenlos Spielen Ohne Anmeldung Farmerama Poker Slots

Special Edition
THE ADVOCATE
June 2015
The Dan Allen Center for Social Justice presents
A Marketplace of Ideas: HEALTH CARE for the Needy In Our Community
Introduction
Health care is often the most critical problem
for needy families in Tulsa. But access to medical
care often is more dependent on income than
need. The result: a South Tulsan may well have
as much as 14 years’ longer life expectancy than
a North Tulsan. Medical crisis often is the straw
that breaks the back of families on the edge of
poverty.
At the Dan Allen Center for Social Justice,
we believe equitable health care is one of the
most pressing social justice issues facing our
community. To encourage public understanding
and discussion, we are publishing this special issue of our newsletter, The Advocate – focusing
entirely on health care, and featuring editorials
by guest experts in their fields.
Certainly we could all go to the internet and
read for days about the Affordable Care Act, access to care, barriers to mental health services,
costs of medications, and treatment approaches.
We thought, however, it would be of interest
and educational to have each of our newsletter
guest writers choose their own topics of concern
and bring them to this venue. (As if any of them
have time for one more task.)
We wish to thank the community leaders who
have been willing to contribute to this issue of
The Advocate on health care concerns. They all
work daily to bring about positive change in
health care for the Tulsa community and the
State of Oklahoma.
We appreciate their selfless and dedicated
service!
– Carol Falletti, Dan Allen Center Vice President
& Health Care Project Coordinator
Contents
Access Denied
– John Silva,
Page 2
It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way
– Carly Putnam,
Page 4
Mental Illness Can Be Deadly
– Richard Wansley,
Page 6
Five Years Later, How Goes the
Affordable Care Act?
– Jan Figart,
Page 8
Xavier Free Clinic: Needed Now
More Than Ever
– Jessica Gomez,
Page 12
By the Numbers: Kansas City C.A.R.E. Page 14
Clinic Offers Model for Service
– Amber Rossman-Cansler
Access Denied
By John M. Silva, Morton Comprehensive
Health Services
for care within this brave new world. They could not
pay. Not for insurance or medicine or out-of-pocket
costs or copays or deductibles or hospital stays, so
they lost access to health care. Then health disparities increased, chronic diseases flourished, the
health status of entire states suddenly worsened,
and the cost of providing health care began to increase. The increase has been as insidious as it has
been constant.
The result? Continuing a double-digit cost increase each year and resulting in businesses dropping health insurance coverage for their employees
or charging ever-increasing copays to those employees who find themselves also paying exorbitant de-
John M. Silva is CEO of Morton Comprehensive
Health Services. He serves as president of the Oklahoma Primary Care Association board of directors
and is former president of the National Association
of Community Health Centers.
When I was a kid, my doctor came to my house
when I was sick. He went to our neighbors’ houses
ductibles.
Today in Oklahoma, we are at the lowest levels
in the United States in terms of health outcomes
and health disparities and, yes, in terms of access to
quality, affordable, patient-centered primary care
for our residents.
as well. People were not denied access because they
In parts of our great state, we have health dis-
didn’t have enough money. The intent was always to
parities and mortality rates, both for infants and
make the patient well. Payment was secondary;
adults, which rival some third-world countries. Obe-
health was the goal.
sity, heart disease, diabetes, and teen pregnancy
Today in Oklahoma and about 20 other states,
continue to increase at alarming rates. Folks use
the goal is payment – and the result is denial of ac-
hospital ERs for primary care simply because they
cess to health services if you do not have the mon-
have no insurance and private practices do not ac-
ey. This system has evolved over many years as in-
cept uninsured patients. Finding Oklahoma provid-
surance companies and businesses realized that
ers that accept Medicaid patients is difficult; most
good money could be made in the health care busi-
do not.
ness. Health insurance became the right of passage
New Medicare patients are experiencing the
into this wonderfully complicated world where actu-
same phenomenon with fewer and fewer private
arial data and lengths of stay became sacred and
practitioners accepting new Medicare patients.
dictated who would receive health care and who
Commercial insurance continues to increase rates;
would be denied access to that care.
and more and more people -- those who can afford
Not surprisingly, the poor, uninsured, disenfranchised, and minority populations could not qualify
it -- are turning to boutique medical practices for
2
their primary care, paying an annual fee for unlimited
eral assistance every month in areas including trans-
access to their physician for that privilege.
portation, education, health care, disaster relief and
Today in Oklahoma we have the means to address this issue, and we can do it today. Unfortunately, the will to do so is missing, caught up in partisan
conflict, tea party rhetoric, and dogmatic paranoia of
our federal government. Access to health care for
our most vulnerable populations hangs in the balance while we revisit the loss leaders of yesteryear:
managed care which failed miserably a few short
years ago, block grants to give the state control of
additional funds with which to create new bureaucracies and state positions, and medical savings accounts for all (which sounds great if one has money
to save).
Today in Oklahoma, by simply accepting Medicaid
business investments. The difference between those
dollars and Medicaid expansion is simply politics in
its crudest, most partisan form. Oklahoma’s hospitals
have already committed to cover the costs of Medicaid expansion implementation, and the need for
these resources is inarguable based upon our state’s
health status. Access to basic health care services is
being denied to thousands of people due to socioeconomic and geographic issues, and additional resources are being taken away each year due to budget shortfalls, corporate tax breaks, and automatic
budget allocations.
We are dismantling our health care system with
no plan for the future. This has to end today.
expansion dollars – dollars being spent in the majori-
Tomorrow in Oklahoma, I see the opportunity for
ty of states, our tax dollars sent to Washington each
the state, hospitals, businesses, community health
year – we could address this issue in a collaborative,
centers, and the community to come together to
visionary way and develop a health access system in
craft a health system based upon seamless transpar-
our state that would ensure improved health out-
ency, guaranteed access, personal responsibility, and
comes, reduced health disparities, and a healthier
improved outcomes. I also see a health system where
population. With additional dollars invested in our
everyone is important, where outcomes drive the
state’s health care infrastructure, we can reduce
process, where health care is not a for-profit endeav-
costs associated with non-emergent ER use and re-
or to make billions for corporations and insurance
duce the number of admissions into our hospitals
companies but rather a holistic profession designed
because of improved access to primary care services,
to produce a healthy population at a reasonable cost.
early detection, screening, and health education.
More important, we can guarantee access to health
care for hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens
and improve the overall quality of life in the Sooner
State, and we could do this together.
Regardless of the false information and statistics
The mission of Morton Comprehensive Health Services, 1334 North Lansing Avenue, is to provide quality-focused, cost-effective and family-based health
services with dignity and respect to all people without
regard to finances, culture, or lifestyle and to provide
information and support to promote their participation in health care decisions.
that have been spewed by those not wanting to accept these resources because they come from Washington, this is the right thing to do and the right time
to do it. Oklahoma accepts millions of dollars in fed-
3
It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way
state residents purchased health insurance on the
By Carly Putnam, Oklahoma Policy Institute
enrollment period, according to data from the U.S. De-
Healthcare.gov marketplace during the most recent
partment of Health and Human Services. Those who
got
financial
assistance
to
buy
insurance
on
Healthcare.gov did not just go for the plans with the
cheapest premiums but purchased coverage based on
what made sense for themselves and their families.
Oklahomans who signed up last year shopped
around for better coverage this year. And Oklahoma
had some of the highest Healthcare.gov enrollment
rates among those who didn’t qualify for tax credits,
indicating that even those whose income is too high to
qualify for financial assistance like what the Affordable
Care Act marketplace has to offer and are willing to
pay for it.
Carly joined OK Policy as a full-time policy analyst
in January of 2014. She previously worked as an OK
Policy intern. With Gene Perry, she compiles “In The
Know,” a daily news brief. Her work at OK Policy focuses on health care, poverty, inequality, and race and
gender.
She
can
be
reached
at
[email protected].
Oklahomans are actively engaging with the new
health care law to get access to health care. Unfortunately, our state’s political leaders are not.
Lawmakers may talk about why it’s important to
improve our health, but their actions send the opposite message.
Oklahomans value their health care. Unfortunately,
our lawmakers don’t.
The most obvious example is the state’s refusal to
accept federal dollars to provide health coverage for
It’s not unusual for Oklahoma to find itself at the
bottom of national rankings for a wide variety of topics, from education funding to prison staffing levels.
However, some of the state’s worst rankings are for
the health of our citizens. Whether for obesity, heart
disease, diabetes, infant mortality, or others, Oklahoma consistently has more residents per capita who become sick and die due to preventable or treatable illnesses than other states.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
low-income Oklahomans. Financial help for buying insurance on Healthcare.gov isn’t available to those
making less than the federal poverty level (just over
$20,000 per year for a family of three), because the
law intended for those families to get covered through
Medicaid. But Oklahoma’s Medicaid program doesn’t
cover able-bodied adults, no matter how little they
make. This leaves some 150,000 Oklahomans trapped
in a “coverage crater,” unable to qualify for Medicaid
or afford private insurance. Advocates working to sign
up Oklahomans for health coverage have had to turn
When Oklahomans are given affordable health insurance options, they take them. More than 125,000
away hundreds of people as a result.
4
It doesn’t have to be this way. The federal gov-
vice eliminations. Oklahomans with develop-
ernment is offering a massive infusion of funds to
mental disabilities have been stuck on a
insure Oklahomans. Under the law, federal dollars
waiting list to receive in-home care for nearly a
would completely cover the costs of coverage ex-
decade.
pansion through 2016, and they will never fall below 90 percent of the cost in later years. Already
at least 29 states and the District of Columbia have
accepted the money and seen enormous gains:
Arkansas and Kentucky, for instance, cut their uninsured rates nearly in half. Researchers estimate
that expansion in Oklahoma would create thousands of jobs and save the state hundreds of millions of dollars, besides saving lives and making
Oklahomans healthier. And yet state politicians
continue to stand in the way.
And in the absence of federal funds, Oklahoma
is not stepping up to invest in health with state
dollars.

Thousands of people will lose mental health
None of these problems will be fixed overnight, but continuing to do nothing means they
will only get worse. Accepting federal funds is a
win-win solution that would save the state money,
boost the economy, and bring health care to thousands of people. It’s time for Oklahoma lawmakers
to set aside politics and do what is right for Oklahoma by expanding coverage.
The Oklahoma Policy Institute is an independent nonpartisan non-profit that provides factual
information and advocates for fair and responsible
public policies. OK Policy promotes adequate, fair,
and fiscally responsible funding of public services
and expanded opportunity for all Oklahomans by
providing timely and credible information, analysis, and ideas.
and substance abuse treatment next year because state funding is not keeping up with
costs, adding to the 6 in 10 adults with mental
health problems in this state who aren’t
getting treatment.

Oklahoma’s public health lab is at risk of losing
accreditation, as state funding for the Department of Health has plummeted nearly 20 percent over the last five years.

Oklahoma’s Medicaid program is planning further cuts to what it pays health care providers,
which may force clinics to close or stop accepting Medicaid patients.

Underfunding of community health centers
has forced staff cuts, clinic closures, and ser-
5
Mental Illness Can Be Deadly
By Dr. Richard Wansley, Mental Health
Association Oklahoma
This means that we treat the needs of the whole
person through coordinated, integrated mental
health, substance abuse, and primary care services.
In doing so, we accomplish two important outcomes: Improved health status for the patient and
lower overall health care costs.
In an ideal setting of an integrated health
care system within a clinical setting, a patient might
be asked to complete a behavioral health screening
assessment, as a routine part of filling out a basic
health history. Such screening could point to a need
for the primary care physician to intervene with a
risk for substance abuse or mental health crisis. The
physician may then perform a brief intervention or,
if necessary, refer the patient for more specialized
services.
– Dr. Richard Wansley is a professor at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and
serves as chairman for the Public Policy Committee
of Mental Health Association Oklahoma.
A practical example of integrated health care
would be that a patient comes to his family physician due to severe heartburn symptoms. The behavioral health assessment, which the patient com-
As a professor of behavioral sciences at the Ok-
pletes prior to seeing his physician, shows the pa-
lahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, I
tient drinks alcohol at a rate that indicates he may
help our state’s future physicians understand the
be at risk for an addiction. In fact, the heartburn
importance of not only treating the symptoms of a
symptoms, sometimes known as gastric reflux, may
mental illness, but also identifying the root causes of
well be related to overconsumption of alcohol.
the illness, which can reach crisis levels without direct intervention.
Knowing the results of the behavioral health
screening allows the patient’s physician to more di-
I have taken a similar crusade to the state’s
rectly address a likely cause of the symptoms, and,
capital. Together with other Mental Health Associa-
in turn, leads to a more effective intervention. This
tion Oklahoma volunteer advocates, we persuade
not only prevents the patient from moving on to an
lawmakers to go beyond short-term fixes in order to
addiction, but also manages the original complaint,
reform our oftentimes broken mental health sys-
and does both in a more cost-effective way. The
tem.
health care delivery model in this example addressA key piece in reforming Oklahoma’s health
care system is encouraging physicians across the
es the whole needs of the patient and is, therefore,
“integrated.”
state to implement what is known as integrated
health care, which is the systematic coordination of
general medical care with behavioral health care.
6
From my perspective, the biggest barriers that
prevent integrated, coordinated care have to do with
an overly complex health care system where both patients and providers must successfully navigate in order to get and provide needed services. The model
must change and is changing in Oklahoma. The socalled “medical home,” which calls for a patient’s care
and records to be coordinated through his/her primary care physician, is becoming more prevalent in Oklahoma.
ma’s preferred approach to providing treatment for
those we know, love and serve.
Mental Health Association Oklahoma, formerly
Mental Health Association in Tulsa, is an advocacy
voice representing people impacted by mental illness
and homelessness in communities throughout Oklahoma. Since its founding in 1955, MHAOK has been an
independent source to mental health and substance
abuse providers, social service agencies, and schools
regarding the provision of high quality mental health
screening and treatment in the community.
Also, physicians must be taught to use the integrated health care model. That’s where I and my faculty colleagues at Oklahoma’s medical schools have a
responsibility. Our new curriculums, in fact, are training our state’s future physicians to use the coordinated, integrated systems approach to delivery of their
services.
To really get the conversation started about integrated health care in an even more significant way,
I’m looking forward to the Zarrow Mental Health Symposium, September 17-18 at the Cox Business Center
in Tulsa. This year’s theme is Integrating Healthcare -Mind, Body and Spirit. For two days, Mental Health
Association Oklahoma’s conference will provide behavioral health providers, and medical providers, an
opportunity to hear the practical aspects of how those
two disciplines can come together, and how to successfully implement integrated health care in an evidence-based manner. To learn more about the conference, visit www.mhaok.org/zarrow.
No longer can we accept the fact that those with
serious mental illness die, on the average, at least 25
years earlier than the general population, from issues
such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart
disease, and diabetes. Integrated health care can and
will save lives, so it is time that it becomes Oklaho7
Five Years Later – How Goes the
Affordable Care Act?
By Jan Figart, Associate Director, Community
Service Council
owned doctors; and it is not Medicare for all—
because when fully implemented, more than 15
million people will still not have access to health
insurance and will have only episodic health care.
So what are the wins for this highly controversial program? The passage of the legislation will go
down as a hallmark of President Obama’s legacy,
however, numerous presidents contributed to its
methodology and funding. Republican presidents
such as Nixon, Reagan, and Bush 46, as well as
Democrats such as Truman, Johnson, and Clinton,
implemented incremental steps to this ultimate
solution for the 45 million people in the U.S. who
were without health insurance in 2009.
The three most significant changes have been
health insurance access, health insurance reform,
– Jan Figart, DHA, RN, is a senior planner and associate director of the Community Service Council. She
has a master’s degree in science in nursing from the
University of Oklahoma and a doctorate from the
University of Phoenix. She has more than 35 years’
experience in administration, program development, grant writing, and program evaluation, focused on women and children of our community.
March 23, 2010, marked a culmination of 60
years of presidential and congressional effort to
and health care reform.
The 1999 and 2001 studies on access, quality,
patient safety, and cost by the Institutes of Medicine indicated the U.S. was sacrificing patient safety
and population health outcomes, while paying ever
-increasing costs for health care. The costs were
projected in a later study to exceed 20 percent GDP
by 2020, from the point in time of 16 percent.
create a universal health care system. The Patient
As far as health insurance access, the 2014-15
Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and its
health insurance marketplace open enrollment re-
partner Act passed a few days later, Health Care
vealed 11.7 million people had purchased health
and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, became
insurance with more than 100,000 in Oklahoma.
the law of the land.
Young adults up to age 26 regardless of their mari-
Obamacare: scorned by conservatives as the
path to socialism and by liberals as a sell out that
falls short of Medicare for All; and heralded by all
as less than complete despite its more than 2,000
tal or college status were continued on their parents’ health plan, resulting in 7 to 16 million (range
variation based on methodology of survey) added
since September 2010.
pages. Frankly, it is not socialism, because it is pri-
Medicaid expansion did not fare as well, with
vate health care through private insurance, with no
only 28 states and the District of Columbia partici-
government-owned hospitals and no government8
pating, yet more than 10.8 million people have
although controversial, particularly if consumers
accessed the option.
cannot afford the next step of intervention if indi-
All in all, a modest decline of the uninsured
cated.
has occurred, leaving 15 million without health
But how can that be, if they have health insur-
insurance in 2015. What appears to be a huge de-
ance? The answer is that many consumers pur-
crease is mitigated by the number of individually
chased high deductible or high co-pay plans to re-
insured who lost their insurance because the poli-
duce their monthly premium costs. As a result,
cies were cancelled by insurance companies,
they cannot afford the treatment that may require
pushing those who had been insured to purchase
as much as $5,000 in out-of-pocket expense be-
on the insurance marketplace.
fore the insurance begins. This dilemma continues
Insurance reform has made the greatest improvement; however, the question continues: At
what price?
From 2010 to 2012, most of the significant
changes were to health insurers.

More than 1,000 insurance companies in the
U.S. in 2008 have reduced only marginally to
more than 800.

Insurance companies cannot cap life-time or
annual benefits, deny coverage, or exempt
coverage for a pre-existing condition; and they
must provide at least 80 percent of the premium for actual health care.

Preventative health care is offered without copay for the services but is certainly not free, as
some have accused, because the premium has
been paid for the preventive coverage.
to plague the system through 2015 with no end in
sight. Additionally, the insurance companies had
no restraints placed on them on premium costs,
with many insurance companies having doubledigit inflation with each new enrollment period,
making once-affordable insurance, unaffordable
again.
Finally, it is hard to say whether health care
reform will be successful because it has only truly
begun since January 2014. The Affordable Care
Act called upon physicians, health care systems,
and insurance companies to benchmark quality
and change a pay for volume of care to a pay for
quality of care system.
That is no small feat when the number of procedures or prescriptions is an easy, straightforward measure while quality is definitely in the
eye of the beholder. Several eyes actually: the
consumer, the physician, and the health care sys-
The importance of the preventive care cannot
tem. This task is an epic task that constantly
be over estimated because many insurance com-
evolves because of new technologies, procedures,
panies had identified preventive care as being
medications, and skills of providers. So any start
paid out of the pocket of the consumer. So the
in 2012 will be dwarfed by the Moore’s Law of im-
availability of preventive care as a method to re-
provements: everything will change exponentially.
duce the high-cost chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease has gone largely
unrealized. A rise in preventive care has begun,
The start of quality measurements cannot
even begin until the uniformity of definitions,
9
medical records, and means to transmit medical in-
action in consumerism by insisting on high quality,
formation is standardized. Currently using a meta-
affordable care; and finally, political persuasion.
phor from electricity, all the electrical wall plugs
look different – so you may have a toaster with no
way to get electricity to it. Without the standardization of terminology, medical records, and the infrastructure to get the information to where it is most
needed – to the physician providing care for the
Let your voice and your vote be heard by the
state and federal legislators so that your desire to
have your investment in health is mirrored by the
legislative support to get the health care access you
need…when you need it.
consumer – quality has limited potential to be
achieved.
Five years later, where are we? Better, definitely better. Are we done? Not even close to achieving
high quality, affordable health care for everyone.
What are the barriers?

Political stagnation in Washington with efforts in
the Supreme Court and in Congress to stop, repeal, replace, or financially starve the Affordable
Care Act.

The Community Service Council provides leadership for community-based planning and mobilization
of resources to best meet health and human service
needs.
Lack of consumer engagement in addressing
their own health, both in making life-style
changes to improve health and in insisting that
health care is available to all.

Lack of investment in health care infrastructure
– policies, legislation, facilities, providers, and
technology –all necessary to actually make persuasive changes in health and health care in the
U.S. This investment deficit is occurring at the
same time that U.S.-funded support is lagging
behind for research, higher (colleges and universities) and public education (K-12), and technology policy and legislation.
What will change the playing field?
You –
becoming actively involved in maintaining your
health, and your family’s health; changing apathy to
10
Xavier Free Clinic: Needed Now
More Than Ever
By Jessica Gomez, Xavier Clinic
A 30 year old mother who became paralyzed from
the waist down due to a transverse myelitis from systemic lupus,
A 30 year old mother of four who would be high
on a liver transplant list, but because of her legal status she will never be a candidate,
An 18 year old young man - the first in his family
to go to college (on scholarship) - who came to us
with an orthopedic injury,
A 30 year old male who has a rare rheumatological disease and is no longer able to work because of
his physical condition,
A 62 year old with diabetes, hypertension and vision loss who will not qualify for any assistance until
age 65,
- Jessica Gomez, RN, BSN earned her bachelor degree in nursing school from Langston University in
2005. Beyond her an academic and administrative
roles, much of Jessica’s career incorporates service to
the community, particularly low income and minority
communities. Among the most significant has been
her work with the Hispanic Community at Xavier Medical Clinic (XMC). Jessica is a member of the Free Clinic
Coalition and served as a member of the operations
committee for Project TCMS (Tulsa Charitable Medical
Services).
By the grace of God, the Xavier Clinic team has
been honored with the privilege of helping those in
need. Our team is full of giving hearts, from volunteer
physicians and nurses to administrative volunteers
and many others, all with the purpose of helping
those in need. Many of us take for granted that when
we are sick we simply go to a doctor. Our patients do
not have that luxury.
Although we see patients with all levels of acuity,
A 46 year old mother of two with four vessel
heart disease who needs bypass surgery to save her
life.
Situations like these break our hearts, but they
also renew our commitment to the mission of Xavier
Clinic.
The mission of a free clinic is to provide basic
medical care to people without health insurance.
However, we do so much more. We help our patients
maintain their dignity, confidence and faith during
their weakest moments. Many of these patients have
not been seen by a medical professional in years;
sometimes they have never been seen by a physician.
This is surprising when we see that many of these patients have chronic illnesses. Patients with diseases
such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, lupus
and other complex illnesses need monthly medication
and routine appointments.
many are surprised at the complexity of patient diseases we often see at Xavier Clinic. A few examples of
our patients’ hardships are:
11
Since 2001, Xavier Clinic has been treating patients like these. Last year we had over 5100 patient
visits. All of this would not be possible without our
volunteers and Saint Francis Health System. We have
over 60 volunteers covering all needs of the clinic:
physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, interpreters and clerical volunteers. These volunteers give
mary health care services, facilitate referrals to volunteer specialists, educate in good health practices, and
increase access to traditional health care. In addition,
to help local women in need of prenatal care, the Xavier Medical Clinic also provides a pregnancy clinic
with referrals for patients to local physicians for prenatal care. Saint Francis Health System is responsible
for all medical aspects of the Xavier Medical Clinic.
so much more than time. They give their compassion,
strength and support to help our patients.
To the community, we are known as a safe and
compassionate clinic that provides comprehensive
care to our patients. We are known for our values excellence, dignity, justice, integrity and stewardship.
Our patients are grateful to the clinic and Saint Francis Health System for the care and support that they
are given.
Many people ask me, ‘Now that we have the
Affordable Care Act, you probably don’t see patients
anymore … are you scared that you no longer will
have a job?” I wish that were the case. The Affordable
Care Act does not impact many of those we serve. We
see people every week who have experienced unanticipated events that rendered them unable to pay
bills, copays, or monthly premiums … often leading to
cancelled policies. For those living at or below 180
percent of the federal poverty level, as most of our
patients are, it may mean a choice between food for
their table or the gas that gets them to and from
work.
Xavier Clinic has become an invaluable resource to those patients who have fallen in to these
gaps. We are humbled to care for these patients and
to carry on the mission of Xavier Clinic, for however
long there is a need.
Xavier Medical Clinic offers free services of volunteer physicians, nurses, and other health professionals
to those in the community who are uninsured or do
not have access to adequate healthcare. Xavier Medical Clinic seeks to provide free, limited outpatient pri-
12
By the Numbers
Kansas City C.A.R.E. Free
Clinic Offers a Model for Service
By Amber Rossman-Cansler, MSW, Kansas City
CARE Clinic
As of May 2015, 18 states have opted out of expanding Medicaid – Oklahoma is one of those states.
(Three more states are actively under discussion).
More than
144,000
of the more than
600,000
uninsured Oklahoman adults (23% of the uninsured in
free and charitable clinics are still needed and thousands of volunteers are needed to keep such services
strong.
One way of bringing attention to this is through the
sponsorship of a C.A.R.E. Clinic (Communities Are Responding Everyday) event in one large city per year.
The clinics are designed to turn convention centers or
arena floors into the world’s largest doctor’s office for
a single day.
For more information, see http://
okcharitableclinics.org/ or http://www.nafcclinics.org/
the state) would have been eligible for Medicaid if the
This year’s C.A.R.E. Clinic coincided with National
state expanded.
Volunteer Week in Kansas City, Missouri. With more
The Affordable Care Act brings us one step closer
but, by the numbers, the need is still great. Even with
the roll out of the ACA, there are still millions of hard
working Americans who cannot afford health care cov-
than
1,200
volunteers, the event most certainly
highlighted the spirit of volunteerism, as well as the
continued need for access to health care. Since September 2009, more than 16,500 uninsured patients
erage.
have received medical care at the NAFC’s C.A.R.E. Clinics with the help of about 15,000 volunteers.
There are more than
1,200
free and charitable
health clinics in the U.S. The National Association of
Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) reports that their
associated clinics served 6 million patients last year
alone. In fact, 70 percent of these clinics report that
patients are returning for help even after enrolling in
ACA coverage.
It only took
1
day to bring together 1,200 volun-
teers with 1,200 people seeking to improve their own
Charitable clinics activate at the community level,
health (1:1). There are many volunteer opportunities
relying heavily on the generosity of individual donors
in both medical and non-medical capacities at clinics
and volunteers. The NAFC is sending out a call that
across the nation.
13
Find opportunities in your area to volunteer,
big or small. Policy changes will reach thousands.
But “boots on the ground” is still an effective way
to provide a direct service until policy changes can
have a macro effect on our communities. Free and
charitable clinics are where medical care for the
underserved isn’t a dream, it’s a reality… building
a healthy America 1 patient at a time.
Left to right: Kathy Rossman, Dr. Alice Lieberman,
Amber Rossman– Cansler, MSW
Editor’s note: “By the Numbers” is a standing
Advocate column usually written by Ed Rossman,
Dan Allen Center President. Ed invited his daughter, Amber Rossman-Cansler, as guest contributor
to this special edition of The Advocate.
Amber is a social worker and a program director at the Kansas City, MO, CARE Clinic. The Kansas
City CARE Clinic promotes health and wellness by
providing quality Care, Access, Research, and Education to the underserved and all people in their
community.
In collaboration with the National Association
of Free and Charitable Clinics, the C.A.R.E. Clinic
recently sponsored an event that turned the Kansas City downtown convention center into doctors’
office for a day. Amber made it a family volunteer
event for “Team Rossman.” Amber’s mom and Dan
Allen Center volunteer, Kathy Rossman, volunteered her services as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Ed Rossman was a patient escort. In her role
with KC CARE, Amber was one of organizers of the
C.A.R.E. Clinic Kansas City event for 2015.
14
Contact Us
Let us hear from you!
Dan Allen Center for Social Justice
PO Box 35484
Tulsa, OK 74153-0484
[email protected] or
[email protected]
Contacts:
Dr. Edwin Rossman
[email protected]
Carol Falletti
[email protected]
Ann Patton
[email protected] or
www.AnnPatton.net
Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/dacsj
Visit us on the web at:
www.DanAllenCenter.org
Donate Now!
Please help support
the work of the Dan Allen
Center for Social Justice.
No amount is too small to
help. And remember to get
copies of Dan’s War on
Poverty. For details, or to
purchase a copy of Dan’s
War, see
www.DanAllenCenter.org.
Mission Statement
To promote social justice through
education, outreach, advocacy
and demonstration of social
The Advocate is a periodic newsletter issued by
the Dan Allen Center for Social Justice.
justice and caritas.
Editor: Ann Patton
Design: Carol Holly
15