Hundreds Wait for Free Health Care in L.A.

Hundreds of people with hundreds of reasons to seek free medical care lined up before dawn and poured into the Los Angeles Sports Arena Tuesday for physical exams, eye exams, glasses, screenings, tests and dental work.

Charlea Williams lost her job and all her medical and dental coverage.

Josh McGrew works, but can't afford health insurance. He needs to "get some teeth pulled."

CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker reports 300 medical volunteers will serve 1,200 patients a day for the next week -- all for free -- thanks to Stan Brock.

"There really is a problem here in the United States," Brock said, "it's not just in the Amazon and in places like Haiti."

Brock started Remote Area Medical 25 years ago, getting American doctors to volunteer and bring modern medicine to the Third World.

Bock said "64 percent of everything we do is here in America."

60 Minutes: Remote Area Medical

His first L.A. clinic last year -- his largest ever -- served 6,334 patients. He expects 2,000 more this year.

"We've got middle class people here, we have a lot of working poor here," said Dr. Natalie Nevins.

People rocked by recession. Mandatory health care reform doesn't kick in for four years.

"So meanwhile, do we tell those patients to wait?" Nevins asked. "We can't."

Even with health reform, the most affordable plan won't cover adult vision or dental care.

There was a happy ending Tuesday. Daisy Glover got a chipped tooth repaired to go on a job interview.

The clinic's scheduled to go from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for seven days.

[mollydtt]

I'm shocked that so many people don't understand how watered down our newly passed health care reform will be.
It is a step in the right direction, but I'm saddened that there was no public option. The private insurance companies will still be in the driver's seat, and probably won't play fair.
As for charity being the answer, instead of having health insurance---those that believe that charity alone will answer all our problems --those are the people that must be rich, or have fantastic health insurance, or both. Even with health insurance, most people can't afford the copays or prescription costs. And that will only get worse over the years.

[payasyougo]

"Hundreds Wait for Free Health Care in L.A."
----

Someone actually believes "Health Care Reform" meant free health care?

[askagain]

erasmus111 - Your anti-American sentiment gets old. For most Americans, there is no way we would trade our citizenship for that of another country. You purport to be from Canada which is a very nice country and our standards of living are very similar. Peddle your anti-American sentiment somewhere else.

[erasmus111]

It's tough hearing the truth, ain't it?


"...and our standards of living are very similar."

Actually, our standard of living is higher.

[stychokiller]

Wow! So Obamacare kicks in earlier than advertised! Get used to those stadium-sized Clinics folks!

[babooph]

Cuba has some of the best health care in the world,for less than a US insurance deductible-no wonder lobbyists keep the bribes going to stop US citizens from going to get it !

[askagain]

And look at how the Cuban people live. Feel free to live in squalor, drive forty year old cars, and have no freedoms in exchange for free or low cost health care. If you are going to compare the United States to another country, make it a fair comparison. Don't just pick out one aspect of Cuban life and leave us with the impression that Cuba is a better place to live than the United States.

[erasmus111]

by askagain April 28, 2010 1:23 AM EDT
Don't just pick out one aspect of Cuban life and leave us with the impression that Cuba is a better place to live than the United States.


If you don't have your health, you have nothing.

[KeithDrippingSprings]

Our Legislators should have to work the crowd at these health care free clinics. None of them have a clue how it is to be poor, or even working and not be able to afford coverage.

And most of you that are against national health care have health care, so why are you against other people getting help when they are sick?

[consh8theusa]

The "republican" legislators, but it wouldn't matter, they consider themselves above such things.

[NB62]

Watching this story makes me wonder sometimes if the US deserves to be a country at all for the way it treats its citizens who are less fortunate is just totally disgusting.At times I wish the British had put down the American revolution in 1776 and kept control of the 13 colonies and in the early 20th Century created a more humane and just nation in North America a nation that cares about her citizens who are poor,a nation that provides universial healthcare to everyone and isnt a country that is hated and depised in may areas of the world.If only the United States could have such been a kinder more civilized nation then she is now.

[bluedenmant]

I think you are being a big harsh here. Yes, there is a LOT to be remedied, no doubt about it. But it is not the whole sum of our great nation, just a part, albeit a very bad one. There are countries far worse to their citizens than you are feeling here and at least we are trying to resolve this issue to the benefit of everyone. I either have witnessed or participated in acts of kindness every day here in Los Angeles (who would think?) and I can tell you, it's a big mix of everything. Try not to generalize and look at the downside; we still have much to be grateful for, and it it's any consolation, there are those yes that despise and hate the U.S., but I'll take the countries that still admire and respect us any day, and they are out there as well.

[trosendal]

Sounds like Canada

[TrollsRus]

OMG...you must be kidding. The most generous nation in the world doesn't deserve to be a country. The US has given more in charity to others than any country in the world. WHO CARES is the rest of the world is ENVIOUS of our way of life and HATES the US. You obviously feel that the US doesn't do enough for the poor poor pitiful poor and therefore you hate this country too. I have no health insurance but I don't expect the government to provide it for me. Who is going to pay for it. The "RICH" or the "MORE FORTUNATE". This less fortunate crap is a joke. The RICH are not lucky or fortunate. MOST of them work very hard for it and made the right choices in their life. You should move to Britain where they are MORE HUMANE AND JUST. The bottom line is there will always be THE LESS FORTUNATE and poor because there is always going to be a large portion of society that is unemployable and underachieving. You can take money from the FORTUNATE class and give the poor poor poor a large sum of money and free health care and they will inevitably end up poor again due to the choices they make.

[erasmus111]

by trosendal April 27, 2010 11:22 PM EDT
Sounds like Canada



What sounds like Canada?

[erasmus111]

by TrollsRus April 27, 2010 11:57 PM EDT
OMG...you must be kidding. The most generous nation in the world doesn't deserve to be a country. The US has given more in charity to others than any country in the world.



How do you know that you give more than other countries? I have read a number of comments from people that think that the U.S. is the only one that gives to others. That's not true, other countries give LOTS. You guys are just so self-obsorbed you wouldn't know what other countries do. One thing that other countries do that yours doesn't? They look after their own FIRST.



"WHO CARES is the rest of the world is ENVIOUS of our way of life and HATES the US."


You think that the rest of the world hates you because they are ENVIOUS?
Get a grip. They hate you because of your attitude. The one word that most people use for America is ARROGANT.