RAM pop-up clinics provide free medical, dental, and vision care to uninsured or underinsured Americans
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- A Gallup poll reveals that about one-third of Americans have skipped meals, borrowed money, or cut back on utilities to afford health care, amid rising insurance premiums and Medicaid cuts under the Trump administration.
- Remote Area Medical (RAM), a charity originally serving South American jungles, now provides free pop-up clinics across the U.S. to offer dental, vision, and medical care to uninsured or underinsured Americans.
- RAM clinics, staffed by volunteers from across the country, primarily address dental and vision needs, with 65% of patients seeking dental services, highlighting the lack of affordable coverage for these essential health areas.
- Patients like Sandra Tallent and Dave Burge endure long waits and harsh conditions for care they cannot otherwise afford, with RAM providing life-changing treatments such as dentures and pain relief.
- The organization relies heavily on individual donations and volunteers, expanding from 12 to 90 clinics annually since 2008, and uses innovative technologies like 3D-printed dentures to improve patient outcomes rapidly.
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