FACTS: Free and Charitable Clinics in Illinois
FACT SHEET
Use these as talking points, in social media posts and in press releases
FACTS: Free and Charitable Clinics in Illinois
- There areover 44free and charitable clinics in Illinois, providing over 83,000 visits to approximately 68,000 patients annually. On average a clinic provides over 3,000 visits per year.
- Free and charitable clinics deliver comprehensive primary care and chronic disease management to those who remain unable to access health care. Most are hard-working parents living at or below the federal poverty line.
- Illinois free and charitable clinics do not receive any federal funding to provide medical care for uninsured or underinsured patients.
- Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals provide more than 150,000 hours of volunteer medical care every year.
- The mission of the Illinois Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (IAFCC) is to enhance the ability of free and charitable clinics to provide high quality healthcare for medically underserved Illinois residents.
- Clinics are able to provide services at no or very low charge due to the financial support of individuals and local charitable foundations. Religious and faith-based organizations, hospitals, civic groups and corporations can support clinics by providing space, in-kind services and donations.
- While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has increased healthcare access, gaps still remain due to affordability, transition between jobs, immigration status and enrollment period cut-offs – in addition to the shortage of Medicaid providers outside major metropolitan areas.
- More than three-quarters (78%) of Illinois free and charitable clinics provide supervised clinical training for medical students, residents, nurses and other practitioners.
FACTS: The Uninsured
Illinois
- In Illinois, 10.6% of people ages 18-64 are uninsured.
- It is estimated that 896,000 Illinois residents remain uninsured in 2016.
- Illinois has the 8th highest uninsured population in the country.
- 290,000 of the uninsured in Illinois are undocumented immigrants currently ineligible for health coverage, 92% of this population live in the Chicago area.
- 54% of uninsured Illinois residents are employed, 21.9% are unemployed, and 23.6% not in the labor force.
National
- 32.3 million people in America are uninsured.
- 8 in 10 uninsured are from a working household, demonstrating a trend of financial need in this population.
- Half of the uninsured have a yearly income below $48,500 for a family of 4, which is only two timesthe Federal Poverty Line.
- 7 million of the uninsured are non-citizen immigrants and are ineligible for health insurance coverage.
- Only 12% of adults have proficient health literacy. This means 9 out of 10 adults may not understand the information needed to manage their health, particularly chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
- 13 million uninsured individuals live in states that have not expanded Medicaid.
READY-TO-USE TWEETS
Use hashtags #ILFreeClinicsMonthand #ILFreeClinicsAwareness
FACTS: Free and Charitable Clinics in Illinois
There are over 40 free and charitable clinics in Illinois, providing over 83,000 visits to approximately 68,000 patients annually
Our clinics deliverhealthcare to those who remain unable to access care. Most are hard-working parents living at or below the poverty line
It is estimated that 896,000 Illinois residents remain uninsured in 2016
Illinois free and charitable clinics do not receive any federal funding to provide medical care for uninsured or underinsured patients
Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals provide more than 150,000 hours of volunteer medical care every year
The mission of @ILFreeClinics is to enhance the ability of free and charitable clinics to provide healthcare for underserved IL residents
Clinics are able to provide services at no or very low charge due to the financial support of individuals and local charitable foundations
Religious organizations, hospitals, civic groups and corporations can support clinics by providing space, in-kind services and donations
Gaps in healthcare access still remain due to affordability, transition between jobs, immigration status and enrollment period cut-offs
78% of Illinois free and charitable clinics provide clinical training for medical students, residents, nurses and other practitioners
FACTS: The Uninsured
Illinois
10.6% of people ages 18-64in Illinois are uninsured
Illinois has the 8th highest uninsured population in the country
290,000 of the uninsured in Illinois are undocumented immigrants currently ineligible for health coverage, 92% live in the Chicago area
Of uninsured Illinois residents, 54.5% are employed
National
32.3 million people in America are uninsured
8 in 10 uninsured are from a working household, demonstrating a trend of financial need in this population
Half of the uninsured have a yearly income below $48,500 for a family of 4, which is only two times the Federal Poverty Line
7 million of the uninsured are non-citizen immigrants and rely on free and charitable clinics for their health care
Only 12% of adults have proficient health literacy, meaning 9 of 10 adults may not understand the information needed to manage their health
13 million uninsured individuals live in states that have not expanded Medicaid