Americans sleep in cars to get free healthcare at pop-up clinics as costs soar
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The Trump administration’s recent rollback of health insurance has resulted in fewer Americans getting coverage.
It may not be possible for people without insurance to receive treatment for certain diseases due to high costs.
This has led some Americans to wait several days to receive free health care from volunteer clinics such as Remote Area Medical (RAM), with some even spending the night in their cars.
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Founded in 1985, the Tennessee-based nonprofit employs volunteer healthcare professionals to treat uninsured Americans for free.
In a recent episode CBS News’ “60 Minutes” Host Scott Pelley spoke to people waiting to be brought to the clinic.
Medical professionals from across the United States volunteer their time at Remote Area Medical clinics. (Remote Area Medical)
In February, Sandra Tallent traveled 200 miles from Huntsville, Alabama, to RAM’s temporary clinic in Knoxville, Tennessee, to have her teeth examined.
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He arrived at the clinic at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and spoke to Pelley from his car at 5 a.m. Friday, after sleeping for two nights in the parking lot.
Pelley asks, “How would you take care of your teeth if you didn’t have RAM?” he asked.
“I wouldn’t,” Tallent replied.
Some Americans wait in their cars for hours to be examined by a doctor, or even spend the night sleeping. (iStock)
Tallent was then seen by a dental specialist and dentures were created in RAM’s 3D denture printing laboratory.
According to the report, 22-year-old engineer Connor Gibson used computer design to complete the job in about an hour. This is a process that can often take weeks.
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“We see grown men crying while sitting in chairs,” Gibson told “60 Minutes,” describing what it was like for patients to see themselves with new teeth for the first time.
This includes Tallent, who expressed his gratitude by looking in the mirror and smiling with tears in his eyes.
Remote Area Medical clinic volunteers and patients at a center in Tennessee. RAM has recently expanded its services to include women’s health examinations, general health examinations and sports examinations. (Remote Area Medical)
In an interview with Fox News Digital, RAM CEO Chris Hall shared how their clinics came out of nowhere and moved across the country to expand their reach to more Americans.
“All of our services are provided free of charge to patients on a first-come, first-served basis,” he said. “And we do this through our team of dedicated volunteers and professionals from across the county.”
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According to Hall, RAM provides cleanings, fillings and removals, as well as comprehensive eye exams and access to an eyeglasses lab that can produce glasses and dentures.
About 60% of patients seek dental care and about 30% to 35% seek vision care, he said.
RAM provides cleanings, fillings and removals, as well as comprehensive eye exams and access to an eyeglasses laboratory that can produce glasses and dentures. (iStock)
RAM has recently expanded its services to include women’s health examinations, general health checks and sports examinations.
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In 2008 RAM held approximately 10 to 12 events per year. Hall shared that today it has reached 90 full-scale operations, with events taking place almost every weekend.
Demand for medical care has been stable for the past 20 years, Hall said. Even for some patients with insurance, out-of-pocket premiums and deductibles can be “out of reach.”
Remote Area Medical CEO Chris Hall describes the operation as “inspiring but also heartbreaking.” (Remote Area Medical)
“The communities that we go into, the patients that come through our doors are working-class people,” Hall said.
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“Whether we’re doing events in rural Appalachia or downtown Los Angeles, patients who come in… are isolated and not getting the care they need,” he added.
Hall said he has heard “heartbreaking” stories from patients who put off medical care to keep the lights on in their homes and provide food for their families.
