The Challenge: Access to Health Care

Nearly 46 million people in the U.S. lacked health insurance. Eighty-two percent are adults (19-64 years of age) and more than 80% of the uninsured are from working families.

Health insurance is a primary factor in whether and when people get necessary medical care, and ultimately, how healthy they are. Those without health insurance are far more likely to postpone or forgo health care.

The medically underserved are scattered around the United States in every city, town and village. If you look around, it is not difficult to find them. They are our neighbors. Their lack of health care is not just a problem for them, but for all of us. No community can be truly healthy if a significant portion of the population is excluded from basic health care services.

The recent passage of the historic health care reform legislation will provide relief to some of the uninsured; however, community safety-net clinics will be necessary for many years to come. The escalating cost of health insurance and medical care, cutbacks in Medicaid and a decrease in the number of physicians choosing primary care are just a few of the factors that necessitate the growing need for additional VIM clinics.