Californians Feeling the Pinch, as Thousands Queue for Free Dental Care
The troubled state of the economy is clearly taking its toll on Californians, as thousands queued for hours on end to see a doctor or dentist free of charge at a charity event last weekend.
The scene at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena was reminiscent of the wake of a natural disaster, with a seemingly endless stream of people directed towards makeshift treatment rooms and dental chairs. The arena was converted into a huge clinic by non-profit organisation, CareNow for a period of four days and members of the public turned out in their thousands to try and secure an appointment. The clinic offered a range of services, from eye examinations and dental treatments, to medical services and over 800 professionals gave up their time to help others.
The turnout at the arena is a damning indictment of the current situation in the USA, with millions of people unable to access event the most basic medical and dental services because they cannot afford to pay for insurance, let alone the cost of the actual treatments they need. It is estimated that more than 2 million people in Los Angeles alone do not have insurance.
President Obama’s healthcare reform act is due to come into play in 2014 and one of the stipulations is that all American citizens must have insurance, however, it is unclear how the millions of people who currently do not have cover are going to afford to take out a health policy.
By the time the clinic closed its doors on Sunday, five thousand people had received treatment and those visiting the arena were not just those without jobs or qualifications, as the global recession has taken its toll on the middle classes too and the demand for free treatment is increasing all the time.
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