DALLAS, Sept. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As new Census Bureau numbers on the uninsured are released, organizers of a large, one-day free health clinic to be held in Dallas September 29 are urging Texas residents without insurance to register as soon as possible for appointments.
The clinic will be held at the Dallas Convention Center, Hall A, 650 South Griffin St., with patient appointments available between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Patients should call 1-800-340-1301 to make appointments. The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) is sponsoring the C.A.R.E. (Communities Are Responding Everyday) Clinic in conjunction with the Lone Star Association of Charitable Clinics and the North Texas Association of Charitable Clinics.
The Census Bureau has announced that Texas has the highest rate of uninsured people in the country: 26 percent of adults and 22 percent of children.
"These numbers show that there is still a great need for access to medical care in this country," G. Bobby Kapur, M.D., M.P.H., Baylor College of Medicine, said. "This free clinic will provide Texans who are uninsured the opportunity to receive preventive, primary medical care and to be connected to the area's safety-net providers, such as charitable clinics, as well as other available community resources."
More than 1,000 uninsured people are expected to receive free medical care at the clinic with the help of almost 1,000 volunteers. Both medical and non-medical volunteers are still needed and encouraged to register now to work at the clinic at: www.nafcclinics.org.
Each patient will see a medical practitioner for an initial examination and then might receive additional point-of-care testing including: electrocardiogram, cholesterol blood test, glucose test for diabetes, muscular-skeletal exam, urinalysis, hemoglobin test, pregnancy test and strep test. Patients also may receive additional services. Children's services will include eye exams and glasses.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas will provide free childhood immunizations and children's flu vaccine from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for uninsured children or those with insurance not covering vaccines. Parents or guardians must bring each child's immunization record and accompany any child under age 17. Children covered by the Children's Health Insurance Program or Medicaid who are Native American or Alaskan Natives are also eligible.
In addition, free 90-day, mail-order prescriptions will be available through the generosity of RxOutreach.
SOURCE National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics