• Publications
    • Essay
    • Case Study
    • Policy Study
    • Report
    • Testimony
    • Other
    • Newsletter
  • Blog
    • Daily Blog
    • Podcasts and Radio
    • Video
    • Infographics
    • Commentary / Op-Eds
    • Events
  • Events
  • Donate
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Show-Me Institute Board of Directors
    • Fellows and Scholars
    • Our Authors
    • Jobs
  • Contact
  • Explore Topics
    • Education
      • Accountability
      • Education Finance
      • Performance
      • School Choice
    • Health Care
      • Free-Market Reform
      • Medicaid
    • Corporate Welfare
      • Special Taxing Districts
      • Subsidies
      • Tax Credits
    • Labor
      • Government Unions
      • Public Pensions
    • State and Local Government
      • Budget and Spending
      • Courts
      • Criminal Justice
      • Municipal Policy
      • Property Rights
      • Transparency
      • Transportation
    • Economy
      • Business Climate
      • Energy
      • Minimum Wage
      • Privatization
      • Regulation
      • Taxes
      • Welfare
      • Workforce
Show Me InstituteShow Me Institute
Show Me InstituteShow Me Institute
Support the Show-Me Institute
  • Publications
    • Essay
    • Case Study
    • Policy Study
    • Report
    • Testimony
    • Other
    • Newsletter
  • Blog
    • Daily Blog
    • Podcasts and Radio
    • Video
    • Infographics
    • Commentary / Op-Eds
    • Events
  • Events
  • Donate
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Show-Me Institute Board of Directors
    • Fellows and Scholars
    • Our Authors
    • Jobs
  • Contact
  • Explore Topics
    • Education
      • Accountability
      • Education Finance
      • Performance
      • School Choice
    • Health Care
      • Free-Market Reform
      • Medicaid
    • Corporate Welfare
      • Special Taxing Districts
      • Subsidies
      • Tax Credits
    • Labor
      • Government Unions
      • Public Pensions
    • State and Local Government
      • Budget and Spending
      • Courts
      • Criminal Justice
      • Municipal Policy
      • Property Rights
      • Transparency
      • Transportation
    • Economy
      • Business Climate
      • Energy
      • Minimum Wage
      • Privatization
      • Regulation
      • Taxes
      • Welfare
      • Workforce
Health Care / Free-Market Reform

Charity Clinic Coming to St. Louis Area Next Month

By Patrick Ishmael on Jul 27, 2015

Over the past few years we have talked a lot about the Volunteer Health Services Act (VHSA), which allows out-of-state medical professionals to more freely provide charitable care in Missouri. As a general matter, one of the priorities of state-based health care reforms must be to remove barriers to accessing care, and the state’s decision in 2013 to allow access to free care provided by qualified out-of-state doctors, dentists and other professionals was a very welcome one. Other states would do well to follow the leadership of Missouri and other states in this policy area; in fact, next month Missourians in the St. Louis area will get to see the benefits of VHSA-type reforms, albeit in neighboring Illinois. 

Remote Area Medical, one of the charity clinic pioneers in the United States, will be having a free health care expedition from August 14th through the 16th in East St. Louis, IL. As always, the clinic will be open to the public, and while I haven’t heard any indication that the group will be making any historic drone deliveries at this particular event, what is certain is that there will be a lot of people seeking help — and a lot of people giving up their weekend providing it. That events like RAM’s remain necessary in a state like Illinois, which has gone whole hog for Obamacare, is its own commentary. 

But setting that aside for the moment, I think the most important takeaway from the event for all of us is ultimately this: that people should be able to help one another without the undue interference of government. Both Missouri and Illinois deserve kudos for making these sorts of clinics more available to their citizens.

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Email
  • Print
About the author

Patrick Ishmael

Director of Government Accountability

More about this author >
    Footer Logo
    Support the Show-Me-Institute
    Showmeinstitute.org is brought to you by Show-Me Institute and Show-Me Opportunity.
    • Publications
    • Blog
    • Events
    • Donate
    • About
    • Contact

    Reprint permission for Show-Me Institute publications and commentaries is hereby granted, provided that proper credit is given to the author. We request, but do not require, that those who reprint our material notify us of publication for our records: [email protected]

    Mission Statement
    Advancing liberty with responsibility by promoting market solutions for Missouri public policy.

    © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved