What is a free and charitable clinic?
Free Clinics are safety-net health care organizations that:
- utilize a volunteer/staff model to provide a range of medical, dental, pharmacy, vision and/or behavioral health services to economically disadvantaged individuals.
- 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations, or operate as a program component or affiliate of a 501(c)(3) organization.
Charitable Clinics are:
- Entities that otherwise meet the above definition, but
- charge a nominal/sliding fee to patients
- bill third party insurers such as Medicaid
- provide essential services regardless of the patient’s ability to pay.
Free or charitable clinics restrict eligibility for their services to:
- individuals who are:
- uninsured
- underinsured
- and/or have limited or no access to primary, specialty, or prescription health care.