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Please install flash to view this Slideshow  »CLINICNETSteve Crain's life spun out of control last fall. When the economy took a dive, this self-employed carpenter and handyman had no health insurance. For Crain, 51, regular health care was a luxury that came only rarely when he scored a long-term job, like building a school. Otherwise, he prayed to stay well and paid his own way. But he was suddenly faced with a one-two punch. A stubborn kidney stone tortured him for several weeks. Then, a friend's unexpected death sent him reeling. For the first time in his life, Crain sought help at one of Colorado's safety-net clinics, the Summit Community Care Clinic, which offers integrated medical, dental and mental health care to the working poor. Health experts at the clinic, which charges patients based on their income, helped Crain endure the kidney stone and reduced his trips to the ER where bills would have been in the thousands. They also counseled him as he quit drinking and overcame the depression triggered by his young friend's death. Then, the clinic literally saved his life. Doctors insisted that Crain get a free colonoscopy through the statewide Colorado Colorectal ScreeningProgram (CCSP). They removed pre-cancerous polyps and are currently monitoring him to keep this dangerous, but preventable cancer at bay. "The clinic saw me through," Crain said."They saved my life." As the economic downturn has gripped communities across Colorado, more and more working people have turned to safety-net clinics for help. In Summit County, Executive Director Sarah Vaine has seen previously self-sufficient realtors and business owners, like Crain, walk through the door. "We have a beautiful facility and everyone is treated well, but it can be a blow to someone's pride to need help," Vaine said. "Our patients work. Many are working a lot – two or three jobs – but they don't qualify for Medicaid and can't afford insurance, or pay for their own care." |
