Basic exams offered for those without health insurance
By Tyler Madey
Correspondent
A free health clinic for low-income county residents is now open in Burlington.
Housed at the Western Racine County Health Department, 156 E. State St,, its primary care services are available by appointment on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon.
Patients must meet three criteria in order use the clinic’s services – they must not have health insurance, be residents of Racine County, and be at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty line.
According to Cheryl Mazmanian, director and health officer for the Western Racine County Health Department, the clinic is funded by the non-profit agency Health Care Network, Inc. The Health department provides clinic space free of charge and handles registration for appointments.
Each clinic session has at least one registered nurse and one physician – both of whom volunteer their services. Mazmanian said four physicians are currently in rotation but expects more health care providers to volunteer once the clinic exits its beginning stages.
Bill Schoessling, executive director of Love Inc. – a local, independent social service agency – said he believes the free health clinic is long overdue for the area’s low-income population.
Both Schoessling and Mazmanian expect the facility to keep people out of emergency rooms, quick-care clinics and walk-ins clinics, and instead provide a well-rounded, preventative service with a physician who may actually know them.
“The whole thing is (about) prevention,” Mazmanian said. “We can prevent them from becoming so ill that they need to be seen in the ER or be hospitalized.”
To be eligible for the clinic, individuals may not earn more than $1,436.25 per month ($17,235 annually), which is 150 percent of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that limit is $2,943.75 ($35,325 annually).
Schoessling said he believes the demand will exceed the hours initially offered at the clinic.
“We (at Love, Inc.) had hoped it would be open more, but I think that will come in time,” he said. “As it gets more popular I’m sure they will expand their hours, but right now – boy we will take what they got.”
The three clinics held so far have all been fully booked. If this trend continues expanded hours will definitely be an option, according to Mazmanian.
She said the Health department is very flexible in allowing Health Network to expand the hours needed to use the facilities and is willing to cover a full day on Wednesday and more, if the demand is there.
If an individual is unable to be seen or needs services the clinic does not provide (the physicians provide only basic exams), the Western Racine County Health Department can make arrangements with another local agency or health care provider willing to provide those services for free.
According to Mazmanian, Health Care Network has operated a free clinic in Racine for over 20 years.
The success in Racine gives supporters hope for a successful Burlington clinic, but Schoessling speculates that a serious roadblock will occur if they don’t have any nurses or physicians who can speak Spanish. He is, however, optimistic about the longevity of the clinic and is willing to help in any way possible to keep it open.
Mazmanian added, “I think that this is a really good collaboration between the Health department and Health Care Network to look at the needs of the community and to really come together and meet the needs of the community. We would like to serve as many people as possible.”
To learn more about the free clinic or to set up an appointment, call the Western Racine County Health Department at (262) 763-4930.
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