NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Hundreds of people stood in a long line outside McGavcok High School to receive their share of health care reform from a national non-profit.
"Been in the parking lot since 3:30 (a.m.), finally got in the building about a half hour ago (noon)," said dental patient Ray Hill.
The wait was for free health care. With the help from a non-profit program, Remote Area Medical, hundreds of people in the mid-state are getting medical, dental, vision and psychological help.
"You think in America this wouldn't happen, but unfortunately things like this do happen," said Hill in response to the number of people needing assistance. "We just continue to pray and believe in God."
Hill was a teacher at McGavock High School for 17 years, now he's a patient. Without insurance, he's seeing a dentist for the first time in 5 years, but he's not alone.
"It feels so much better, said Tabetha Durham. "A totally different world."
Durham had her braces removed after 19 years. Without insurance she could not afford to have anyone take them off.
The face that America is one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to medicine, Dr. Billy Ballard, D.D.S., interim dean at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry.
"Why can't we take care of them in our health care system when we have the best health care system in the world, but only the people who are wealthy and can afford it," said Dr. Ballard.
In one day, 1,000 people were serviced at the Remote Area Medical event, which Dr. Ballard says shows just how badly Health Care Reform is needed.
"This is the absolute bottom line for what is happening to health care in America," added Dr. Ballard.
In a time when the state of health care is unknown, the patients say they were happy to get the attention their bodies needed.
Many say it's hard to think about the question," what if this help wasn't available?"
"I really don't know what I would have done, but I'm glad I came, because I was reluctant to come, but things worked out and it was time well spent," smiled Hill.
No comments:
Post a Comment