Positive change for the Iowa City Free Medical and Dental Clinic

In May 2007, then Senator Barack Obama publicly unveiled his health care plan at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. I was an undergraduate student at the time and acutely remember the excitement and optimism of the moment.

After Obama's talk, I wove my way to the front of the crowd to tell him about the Iowa City Free Clinic, where I first learned of health care inequalities as a volunteer. I spoke about the patients we served and the growing need for this safety net in our community. After listening intently, he reached into his pocket and handed me two crumpled up ten-dollar bills. Obama said he would strive to provide more lasting change for the uninsured, should he be elected, but would like to contribute small change now.

Back to the future, in 2015, we now have lasting change thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We may argue about nuances of the bill; however, it is has helped thousands of Iowans obtain health care insurance through federal subsides and a state-based exchange. Given that more Iowa City residents now have access to basic primary care services, we are able to focus our efforts at the Free Clinic to meet health care needs not provided by the ACA - while continuing to assist patients who fall through the system's cracks. We provide free dental services and treat many people diagnosed with chronic health conditions. Volunteer medical specialists provide care for our patients. We are now offering nutrition and health wellness classes - public health services that may help prevent rather than just treat disease.

We remain tremendously excited about the future of the Free Clinic and the evolving role we continue to play. It is by the generous support of individuals and local businesses that we are able to maintain our safety net that is both strong and flexible.

If you believe that access to health care is a basic human necessity, please consider sharing your time, talents, and/or resources. The clinic is always welcoming the involvement of students, health care providers, language interpreters, and passionate non-medical community members.

As our President demonstrated, no change is too small.

' John Heineman is a member of the Free Clinic board of directors and a resident at the University of Iowa Hospitals. Comments: john-heineman@uiowa.edu