Catholic clinic helps uninsured

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 47 million people in America are without… According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 47 million people in America are without health insurance.

In Pittsburgh, Catholic Charities is taking care of some of these people.

On Nov. 5, Catholic Charities opened its free health care clinic which is open to people ages 18 to 64.

These people must meet certain requirements such as: having no Medicare or Medicaid coverage and preferably being employed with employers who will not provide coverage.

It is also preferable that the person should earn up to 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.

This means a single person can earn up to $20,420 or $41,300 for a family of four.

Catholic Charities interim executive director Susan Rauscher said the organization is very excited the clinic is open and getting such a great response.

It has received 1,000 phone calls since its opening two and a half weeks ago, and there are 600 people waiting in the queue to see if they meet the requirements.

“We’re very excited that we’re at the place where we could open the doors,” Rauscher said.

“It’s been about a four-year process beginning with the research of it.”

The diocese announced plans for the clinic in 2003 under Bishop Donald Wuerl.

The diocese donated $250,000 in grants for the clinic and the state gave two $1 million grants.

Those grants went toward state-of-the-art, new equipment, but the workers are all volunteers.

The clinic employs only four paid staff members.

“We’ve had a very positive response from people coming to volunteer,” Rauscher said.

Dr. Ed Kelly, a retired orthopedic surgeon who previously practiced at St. Clair at Mercy Hospital, volunteers as the clinic’s medical director.

Kelly is no stranger to the field of volunteer medicine. In 2003, after his retirement, he worked at Operation Safety Net, which provides medical care for homeless people.

He has also served on the board for Catholic Charities for 10 years and is the clinic’s chief recruiter for volunteers.

The clinic has 100 volunteers, but Redington said if they receive more – preferably those with computer skills – they will be able to open five days a week.

Currently, it is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The clinic is located in the Catholic Charities building on Ninth Street and looks like a regular doctor’s office with a receptionist and nature portraits dotting the walls.

There are four medical rooms and three dental rooms.

Diane Redington, the clinic’s administrator, said the ratio of dental to medical patients is 3 to 1.

The clinic is the only Christian free health care clinic in the area with dental services.

“This provides an opportunity for people who wouldn’t have any other kind of health care to receive quality health care,” Redington said.

Even college students are welcome.

“College students need to demonstrate that they’re not dependent on their parent’s income tax and that they are enrolled in college but they could qualify,” Redington said.

“If they are dependent on their family they need to bring their family’s household income with them, but they’re welcome.”

Rauscher said as part of a Catholic organization she’s excited to make a positive impact on the community.

“Catholic social teaching calls us to be good stewards of one another and part of that is to provide health care for all our brothers and sisters,” Rauscher said.

“From the Catholic perspective, this is like the story of the Good Samaritan. To help the person who needs help and is overlooked and to give them assistance in their time of need.”