AFC’s commitment to providing quality health care to low income, uninsured Arlingtonians remains unchanged. But the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will require additional efforts and resources for months and years to come.
Some AFC patients are now eligible for affordable health coverage through the ACA.
- But because of linguistic, cultural, social and educational barriers, many patients need assistance to understand how the ACA impacts them and what actions they need to take to get insurance.
- We’re identifying patients who may be eligible for insurance through the ACA, providing information, and connecting them with assistance to help those eligible get insurance.
- We’re transitioning some newly insured patients out to insurance-based health care providers.
- We’re bringing in more uninsured Arlingtonians who we’d previously been unable to serve.
Most AFC patients are not impacted by the ACA – this is for various reasons.
- Medicaid has not been expanded in Virginia, leaving the poorest residents without new options for affordable health care.
- Some patients who are eligible for subsidized insurance may not be able to afford appropriate coverage.
- Patients without legal status aren’t eligible for insurance through the ACA.
Reasons to continue supporting AFC
- While the ACA is a major step, there will continue to be thousands of uninsured Arlingtonians turning to AFC for essential medical care.
- AFC helps patients be healthy and productive members of the community; the Clinic works to build a healthy Arlington for everyone.
Unknowns on the horizon
- How will the ACA evolve over time?
- Will Virginia expand Medicaid to cover our community’s poorest residents?