Popup clinic at Arkansas high school does free health work

65-year-old welcomes teeth-pulling

MARSHALL -- Clifford Ayers arrived Tuesday at Marshall High School with four teeth in his mouth and left with just one.

Before a free clinic, staffed by military units from across the country, shuts down next week, Ayers is hoping to get the remaining tooth removed, and maybe a new pair of glasses.

At age 65, Ayers is covered by Medicare, but that doesn't pay for most types of vision and dental care.

"I'm on a limited income," Ayers said. "By the time I pay utilities and the cost of living and food and everything, I don't have much left."

Ayers, who spoke while waiting for a vision exam Wednesday, was among hundreds of people seen by military health care workers during the first three days of an Innovative Readiness Training project with sites in Marshall, Mountain Home and Yellville.

The U.S. Department of Defense program allows military personnel to practice their skills while providing health care or other services to communities across the country.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who toured the Marshall site Wednesday, said such programs help fill gaps that remain even after the expansion of health coverage under the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

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Arkansas is among 31 states that expanded their Medicaid programs with the help of enhanced funding provided by the federal health care law.

But Arkansas' program, like Medicare, the federal health program for the elderly and disabled, doesn't provide dental and vision coverage to adults.

Hutchinson also noted uncertainty about the future of health care. A bill passed by the U.S. House would phase out enhanced funding to Arkansas and other states that expanded Medicaid. The Senate is crafting its own version of the bill.

"You have to be prepared for the unexpected," Hutchinson told military personnel and volunteers just before his tour. "I think seeing the need that's out there helps us to be prepared."

Hutchinson has said he supports repealing the Affordable Care Act but wants to keep the enhanced Medicaid funding.

Under Arkansas Works, as the state's expanded Medicaid program is known, Hutchinson has suggested offering dental coverage as an incentive for enrollees who pay premiums and visit a primary care doctor.

That idea isn't part of the state's latest request to make changes to Arkansas Works but is "part of the discussion" about future changes to the program, Hutchinson said.

At the three Innovative Readiness Training sites, military physicians, dentists and other health care workers are providing free medical, eye and dental exams.

The dental services available include filling cavities and pulling teeth.

Vision services include a prescription and one free pair of glasses, made at the Mountain Home site, to correct either nearsightedness or farsightedness. Patients can also receive a prescription for more complicated lenses, such as bifocals, but would have to fill it elsewhere.

All the services are free to patients, regardless of their income or where they live.

The clinics, at Marshall High, Summit High in Yellville and Mountain Home Junior High, opened Monday and will continue through next Monday. They are open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day except Sunday, when they are open from noon to 5 p.m.

The Ozark Highlands mission is one of 20 such projects, and the fourth in Arkansas, sponsored by the Delta Regional Authority since 2008.

To qualify for the assistance, communities provide space and security for the military personnel and dispose of the medical waste, said Brittany Lindberg, who manages the program for the authority.

Dental and vision services are the most in-demand. By late Wednesday morning, the Marshall clinic had filled its available time slots for dental and eye exams but had time available for medical exams.

Ayers, a former tae-kwon-do instructor, said he's been missing most of his teeth for about 20 years.

Once all his teeth are pulled, he said he may be able to save up the money to buy a full set of dentures, which would be cheaper than a partial set.

"If I could get all my teeth out, that would save me a lot of money," he said.

The chance for a free dental exam also drew Andrew and Eleasah Felland of Tilly.

Both are covered by private health plans, subsidized with Medicaid funds, under the state's so-called private option, but don't have dental coverage.

"I'm sure I have cavities," said Andrew Felland, a 33-year-old construction worker, who said he hasn't been to a dentist in three or four years.

Among the patients who lacked insurance was Tallye Sisk, 15, who came for an eye exam and physical for her high school softball team.

Her mother, Mistye, said the family makes too much to qualify for Medicaid. Private coverage would cost about $500 a month just to cover two members of the family, Mistye Sisk said.

"It's cheaper just to pay as you go," Mistye Sisk said.

Metro on 06/08/2017

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