Idaho Free Clinics Rally For Idahoans Losing Medicaid

Many Idaho residents are losing Medicaid benefits due to a process of mass re-evaluations known as Medicaid Unwinding. While many deemed ineligible will have access to other insurance options, some Idahoans will not. The Idaho Association of Free and Charitable Clinics has a message for those Idahoans—we are here to help.

The Unwinding process ends Medicaid Protection, a national policy to keep Medicaid recipients enrolled until the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Idaho's re-evaluation process began earlier this year and is moving quickly. According to the Department of Health and Welfare, 32,688 out of 54,257 Medicaid recipients were recently disenrolled. DHW expects to review 153,857 recipients in total.

With 13 free clinics across the state providing critical health services, IAFCC hopes Idahoans who find themselves uninsured will reach out to access the care they need. Clinics offer patients a range of health services, including diagnosis and treatment of disease, management of chronic conditions, preventative screenings and care, behavioral health services, and dental services at no cost.

“We know that many of our Idaho friends and neighbors are experiencing medical hardships and can’t get help because of insurance status, financial difficulties, or other system barriers,” said Mindy Hong, Executive Director of IAFCC, “No matter what your situation is, our free clinics will warmly welcome you and provide you with quality services.”

Idaho free clinics are already seeing an additional need for services due to the Unwinding. A recent survey showed that 100% of clinics had an increase in patients last month.

“We aren’t going to let these people be in a gap without healthcare access. We are going to find funding and more volunteers,” said Steve Davis, CEO of Genesis Community Health. With increased support from the community, he expects that the clinics he runs in Garden City and Caldwell will be able to serve additional patients.

As uninsured Idahoans face an unknown period without coverage, Idaho Free and Charitable Clinics around the state will continue to provide lifesaving health care to those who need it and will scale up services in response to the increased number of patients.

To find a clinic near you, visit the IAFCC website at www.idahoafcc.org or email info@idahoafcc.org to connect to a clinic providing telehealth services.

UnMask the Facts: May Edition

Unmask the Facts is back this week to keep you in the loop about the biggest breaking news and research regarding the COVID-19 virus, the variants, and the vaccines that happened in May. In this update, we discuss the FDA’s full approval of Paxlovid, the effectiveness of bivalent vaccines, and this summer’s new COVID-19 travel guidelines. Read all about these insights and more in this month’s Unmask the Facts!

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Volunteers are the heart and soul of Idaho free clinics

Idaho’s free and charitable clinics provide crucial access to healthcare for many Idahoans without health insurance. Free clinics are a critical part of Idaho’s safety net that utilizes a hybrid volunteer/staff model to offer patients a range of health services including management of chronic conditions, preventative health screenings, behavioral health, dental health, and more. However, they would cease to exist without the support of partnerships, donations, and most importantly our volunteers.

This National Volunteer Week, the Idaho Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (IAFCC) owes a great deal of gratitude to the dedicated volunteers that keep each of our member clinics operational. Idaho’s free clinics hosted over a thousand volunteers in 2022, many of them healthcare professionals, who spent close to 27,000 hours of their time providing care to Idahoans in need.

“Volunteers are the heart and soul of Idaho's free clinics. In our clinics, we witness neighbors helping neighbors every single day. Idaho is still a place where the spirit of generosity and commitment to community thrive,” said Mindy Hong, Executive Director of The Idaho Association of Free and Charitable Clinics.

This past year, 13 Idaho free clinics provided 18,775 patient visits, 12,830 prescriptions, and 1,648 dental fillings and extractions at no cost, all thanks to our incredible volunteers. With the help of our partners and volunteers, $6.8 million in healthcare services and goods were delivered.

Karen Scriver, IAFCC Board Member and Clinic Director for Vineyard Boise Free Clinic said, “Our volunteers' heartfelt care is as important as their skills in supporting our patients. Vineyard Boise Free Clinic has been entirely staffed by volunteers compassionately providing outstanding medical care for those in need since 2000.”

At IAFCC, we are inspired by our volunteers to work harder for our clinics and for Idahoans experiencing healthcare hardships. This National Volunteer Week, IAFCC recommits to the work of securing ongoing support for our clinics and volunteers, while bringing attention to the growing need for access to quality healthcare in our great State. At this time, IAFCC asks students, professionals, and anyone with a giving heart to consider volunteering for a free clinic. Factors such as recession, Medicaid Unwinding, and healthcare insurance churn are predicted to strain the current capacity of clinics. To learn more about how you can help, please visit https://www.idahoafcc.org/volunteer.