Remote Area Medical at the Oakland Coliseum

[Liberal_in_LA]

Free health clinic aids hundreds in need

But many of the people seeking care had full- or part-time jobs that either did not come with health benefits or required them to contribute so much that they were priced out of coverage. Some had health care, but no dental or vision insurance. Those people typically earned too much to qualify for government health programs.

"We need universal health care. People shouldn't have to stand out here all night," said Sharice Gastile, 28, of Oakland, a full-time college student and single mother who was 17th in line. She is one of many Californians who lost adult Medi-Cal dental benefits when the program was cut in 2009.

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Sandi Lloyd, 45, of Oakland, who works two part-time jobs but doesn't have insurance, said she was grateful for the opportunity to get care. She had just visited the dental area, where she had three teeth extracted.

"The guy who ripped my teeth out of my head, I hugged him. He was so nice," she said, with a mouth full of cotton swabs as she waited to get her eyes examined.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/04/10/MND81ITGSR.DTL

[peacebird]

1. We need single payer. We need health CARE for all, not forced purchase of health INSURANCE

As long as the health insurance industry is in charge, health costs will continue to spiral upwards.