Crowd camps out for first day of free health clinic at Cal Expo

[PatSeg]

Melissa Jones, 43, wrapped herself in a blanket and slept on the sidewalk early Friday morning just to get a chance to feel her fingers once again.

A former legal assistant from Visalia disabled by nerve damage, Jones was one of 1,050 people who camped out or waited for hours to receive free medical, dental and vision care at a massive, four-day clinic at Cal Expo.

The event, by a medical volunteer corps led by a former Amazon bush pilot who hosted television's "Wild Kingdom" program, revealed the mass of people lacking health insurance and routine care.

It was the 639th free health clinic for Stan Brock, an outdoorsman-activist whose Tennessee-based Remote Area Medical Volunteers Corps has traversed the United States and the world since 1985.

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/04/02/3522133/crowd-camps-out-for-first-day.html


Earlier it was reported that they had to turn people away on the first day. They will still be seeing people through Monday if anyone lives in the area. What kind of country makes seriously ill people wait all night in a parking lot to get medical help?

[shraby]

1. The country that says "people have to wait for care where

there is socialized medicine like in Canada and Great Britain".
The stupidity doesn't only burn, it puts people's lives in danger every day.

[PatSeg]

3. What's sad

is the ignorant aren't immune. Illness and loss of health care can hit anyone, except for the top 1% of course. And you know, the ones who scream the loudest when they lose their jobs and insurance are usually right-wingers. When THEY need health care, they're entitled. Everyone else is a freeloader.

[Zoeisright]

4. Waits for acute illnesses are less in countries with socialized medicine.

And wait times for all doctor's visits are comparable between the US and sane countries who actually provide health care for their citizens.

That's another right wing LIE.

[PatSeg]

5. They know it's a lie.

We know it's a lie, but their base believes whatever they are told. Of course, that means it hits them even harder when they become sick and can't afford health care.

[roody]

2. a capitalist one