Our Patients
Our patients are people you see every day in our community – like the young cashier handing you your order at a busy doughnut shop, and the older gentleman counting your shirts at your neighborhood dry cleaners. Others work behind the scenes – like the dishwasher in a popular Clarendon restaurant and the evening security guard at a Rosslyn office building. Still others have faithfully served their customers for years, taking care of children and cleaning homes. They work hard, focused on doing a good job so they can provide for their own families. Most never thought they would ever need free health care.
- All live in Arlington County and have incomes at, or below, 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (for a family of 4, this is $42,000). Most are parents with children who live at home.
- Although most of our patients work, their jobs do not include access to health insurance.
- In recent years, an increasing number of new patients came to AFC after losing their job and their health insurance.
There are two ways to become an AFC patient.
- Each month, we accept approximately 20 new patients through a lottery process.
- Individuals referred by Virginia Hospital Center, the Arlington County Department of Human Resources and shelters that meet eligibility requirements are directly accepted. These include our sickest patients, such as those with cancer, uncontrolled diabetes and renal failure.
The vast majority has one or more chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, and needs access to a range of services including medical treatment, medications and ongoing care management.
