For those who need health care but can’t afford it, an option is opening up to even more Hampton Roads residents.
“Sometimes there is a misconception of what a free clinic is like,” said Kim Spencer, director of donor relations for the Lackey Clinic. “This gives people an opportunity to come and hear from our medical, dental and pharmaceutical teams so they can see how we care for our patients. It’s an opportunity to see what kind of clinic we are.”
The Lackey Clinic, a free clinic for residents of Williamsburg, James City County, York County, Poquoson and Newport News, is offering services to even more people after the Medicaid expansion that went into effect Jan. 1, Spencer said.
Before the Medicaid expansion, Spencer said the clinic was only able to take patients who were at 200 percent or below of the federal poverty level but now they are able to accept patients at 300 percent or below.
That number increased because Medicaid increased the amount of people it was aiding, meaning some of the patients at the Lackey Clinic moved to Medicaid benefits which made it possible for the clinic to increase its level.
As a result, the clinic is hosting its first ever “Share the Care” event on Thursday to give potential new patients the opportunity to check out the facility.
“We are caring for those that make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but can’t afford health care,” said Amber Martin, the clinic’s eligibility director. “A lot of people don’t realize they qualify for us, it’s the people who are working, like teachers or dental assistants, that can’t afford an insurance plan.”
Martin said approximately 50 percent of her patients come from Newport News, 27 percent from Williamsburg and James City County and then the rest come from York County and Poquoson. But with this new event, she said the clinic is hoping to spread the word even more into the lesser-represented areas.
The Lackey Clinic is a 501C3 nonprofit, but Spencer said most of the funding comes from the state and private donors. This funding allows them to care for the 37,000 visits they saw in 2018. In addition, a strong network of volunteers, from licensed doctors to clerical staff, help to keep the clinic running.
Now that the services are open to more people, the numbers of patients is fluctuating, Martin said, but the clinic has the capacity to serve even more.
“We get calls from people who want to access all our services,” Martin said. “People who become a patient utilizes all of our services and it all pertains to better overall health for the individual.”
Martin described the system as “holistic,” with even the pharmacy right there in the building alongside the various other services.
The clinic is celebrating 25 years of service this coming year and Spencer said volunteers and workers at the clinic are excited to celebrate the impact it has had in the community, especially now that more people can benefit from its services.
She said the main goal is to make sure as many people as possible know the clinic might be available to them.
Share the Care will take place at the clinic on Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. for adults. There will be free BBQ provided by Two Drummers, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, live music, giveaways and raffles.
For more information, visit the Lackey Clinic online.
