Free health clinics hindered by state laws
A patchwork of state licensing rules prevents medical volunteers from reaching more patients in need through RAM.
Each weekend across the United States, thousands line up before dawn for free medical care at pop-up clinics, but a patchwork of state laws is preventing volunteer doctors from helping as many people as they could.
Despite those constraints, Remote Area Medical (RAM) makes life-changing differences each week.
At a recent clinic, Dave Burge raised a hand-held mirror and took in his reflection, smiling. His teeth had been knocked out twice. First, he explained, they were damaged in a head-on crash caused by a drunk driver. After two years of rehabilitation, he returned to his construction job. But when his drill struck rebar, the recoil snapped back into his mouth, breaking his teeth all over again.
Now, seated in a dental chair, Burge got his first look at a new set of dentures, created and fitted by RAM. They transformed not just his appearance, but his confidence. "It's amazing," he said.
Moments later, he put it more simply: "That gave me my life back."
Burge is one of thousands of patients served by RAM, a volunteer-run charity providing free medical, dental, and vision care to underserved communities across the United States. About half of the patients have no insurance. The rest have insurance they can't afford to use because of co-pays and deductibles.