Free Clinic Targets Those Who Can’t Afford Healthcare

West Virginia Health Right is hosting its We Care West Virginia Day in Charleston on Saturday. 

The free clinic offers a wide variety of medical services for anyone who needs them – no health records, proof of income or other documentation required.

The state’s poorest citizens already qualify for free medical treatment through Medicaid – and they’re welcome to attend the clinic. 

But thousands of workers in West Virginia make too much money for Medicaid and then struggle to pay for the healthcare they need. 

“When they look at those health policies offered at their employer, it’s either too expensive out of their pay – they choose not to take it out of their pay because they need that for day-to-day expenses and utilities and rent – or what they get is a high-deductible, high-copay plan,” Health Right CEO Angie Settle said.

She said some of their patients have a $5,000 or $10,000 deductible through their company insurance plan which most people never reach.

“So a lot of people carry [their insurance card] around and they’re not using it. This is the day to make sure that there’s no issue if money doesn’t stand in the way,” Settle said. 

The clinic offers free dental care and cleanings, x-rays, eye exams, female exams, Pap smears, referrals for mammograms,  family planning, behavioral health, flu vaccines, HIV and hepatitis C testing, even Narcan training and more.

Saturday’s free clinic is designed in part to reach those who can’t come in during regular working hours. 

“It’s basically a free clinic on steroids, because we have over 150 volunteers that’ll be here, and we’re doing it all in one day. It’s West Virginians taking care of West Virginians,” Settle said.

Health Right serves more than 45,000 people from 34 counties in the southern and central part of the state. 

The clinic starts at 8 a.m. Saturday at the East End clinic located at 1520 East Washington Street in Charleston.