Yorktown facility provides free health care and medications to uninsured adults.
Lackey Clinic has provided free medical, dental and specialty care services for uninsured adults in Williamsburg, James City County, York County, Poquoson and Newport News for almost 25 years.
When Virginia expanded its Medicaid coverage earlier this year, many of the Yorktown clinic’s long-term patients became eligible for the government-subsidized program, according to Amber Martens, the clinic’s director of Eligibility and Community Outreach.
Contrary to the belief of many, however, the expanded Medicaid coverage still left thousands of Virginians without any health insurance at all. Even with Medicaid expansion, there are still more than 300,000 adults statewide who have no health insurance, Martens says.
“With the continued rise in health-care costs and the lack of real income growth for lower- and middle-income workers, more people than ever may lack the financial resources to afford insurance or to pay for even basic medical expenses,” Martens says.
Clinics such as Lackey strive to serve those who remain uninsured and fall into a health care gap because they make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but can still not afford health insurance, Martens says. Many are working in food service, retail, construction, or the hospitality industry or are self-employed or contract employees.
Take patients such as Doug, who calls the clinic the “best place I’ve ever been to get medical care” in his life. “I’ve always been treated well here, regardless of my situation,” says Doug, 58, who has been a patient there for 10 years. “Dr. [Ralph] Robertson always says he’ll help me figure things out.”
As part of the health safety net in our area, Martens says, Lackey’s goal is to reach out to those still-uninsured individuals to welcome them to use the clinic as their medical home. In addition to providing a family doctor, Lackey offers specialty care, dental care, medication assistance and behavioral health services. The clinic also has charity care agreements with all three local hospital systems — Riverside, Sentara and Bon Secours — to provide lab work, diagnostics and surgeries, if needed.
Through a grant from the Virginia Healthcare Foundation, in partnership with the Williamsburg Health Foundation, Lackey Clinic has been able to give over $11 million worth of free and low-cost medications to its patients during the past fiscal year.
“At Lackey Clinic, we put the care in health care for thousands of uninsured patients on the Peninsula,” Martens says. “For many in our community, Lackey Clinic literally can be a lifesaver — a place to find care and restore dignity and hope.”
Lackey clinic will continue to serve area adults who:
- Have no medical insurance.
- Are not eligible for Medicare, Medicaid or veteran’s benefits.
- Have lived in the United States for at least one continuous year.
- Have income between 139 percent to 300 percent of the U.S. poverty level. Below 138 percent poverty level qualifies for Medicaid.
- Live in our service area which includes: Newport News, York County, Williamsburg, Poquoson and James City County.
For those who are without insurance and need health care, Lackey Clinic is holding a “Share the Care” open house on July 25 from 3 to 7 p.m. Visitors can tour the clinic, meet doctors, dentists, pharmacists and staff, and sign up to become a patient. There will also be raffle prizes, free food, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and live music.
To become a new patient or for more information about Lackey Clinic, visit lackeyclinic.org or contact Amber Martens, director of Eligibility and Community Outreach, at AMartens@lackeyhealthcare.org or 757-886-0608, ext. 252.
Thanks to the sponsors for making this event possible: Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, RX Partnership, Riverside Health Systems, Health Journal, Ben & Jerry’s – Yorktown Riverwalk Landing and WATA.