• Center on Health Equity & Access
  • Clinical
  • Health Care Cost
  • Health Care Delivery
  • Insurance
  • Policy
  • Technology
  • Value-Based Care

Obamacare Creates 'Upheaval' At Free Clinics

Article

While a few free health clinics have shut their doors in Arkansas and Washington, most expansion-state non-profit free clinics are reassessing their business strategies.

Without insurance, Pam Milliken relied for years on the free health clinic here to help manage her arthritis, high blood pressure and diabetes. When she needed to have her gallbladder removed, the clinic, located in a former State Farm Insurance building, found her a specialist and hospital willing to do the surgery at no cost.

This year, Milliken was among the 70 percent of patients at Wheeling Health Right Center who enrolled in Medicaid after the state expanded the program under the Affordable Care Act.

Worried that patients like Milliken would leave their care and struggle to find doctors accepting new Medicaid patients, the clinic took a rather radical step: It became a Medicaid provider and started billing the state-federal health insurance program for the poor.

Read the full story here: http://bit.ly/1slFQwR

Source: Kaiser Health News

Related Videos
Margaret Krackeler, MD
A new study finds law enforcement presence in emergency departments may disrupt care. Lead author Prashasti Bhatnagar discusses policy and training solutions.
Jennifer Snow, MPA, NAMI
Jennifer Snow, MPA, NAMI
Aleata Postell, SVP of pharmacy business development, CenterWell Pharmacy
Where patients live may shape outcomes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, with SDOH linked to higher risks of heart failure and arrhythmias.
Adam Brufsky, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
Dr Steven Manobianco
Dr Amrita Basu
Danielle Roman, PharmD, BCOP, Allgheny Health Network
Related Content
© 2026 MJH Life Sciences
AJMC®
All rights reserved.