Families in Santa Clara County continue to struggle with the high cost of health insurance as the percentage of uninsured adults has more than doubled in the past decade.
According to a recent Santa Clara County report, Santa Clara County has one of the highest median incomes in the nation with nearly half of its residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher; however, 1 in 10 children and 1 in 12 adults live below the Federal Poverty Level.
Recent loss of health coverage has been due to the rising cost of health insurance plans in a failing economy. Another contributing factor has been through the loss of employment, and employers dropping employee insurance health plans in efforts to cut employer cost.
Milpitas resident, Kelly Clark, expressed her concern over the loss of her husband's health care coverage through his employer.
"It isn't a big worry for him, because his doctor charges him less and gives him samples, but it is a concern for me," said Clark. "He tries to stay as healthy as possible by eating good and keeping active."
Clark's husband is aiming to be the exception. Statistics show that Santa Clara County residents are not meeting national standards.
Key findings also revealed risk factors that lead to chronic disease are on the rise. Adult obesity increased from 52 percent in 2000 to 56 percent in 2009. Two in five adults have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes and half of the deaths in Santa Clara County are due to heart disease or cancer. The report also found Santa Clara County to have the third highest tuberculosis rate in California.
Not having health care or having limited access often increases hopsital admissions for conditions that could have been treated with outpatient care. Many times these minor conditions are ignored due to the avoidance of cost, until the emergency happens.
How can Santa Clara County residents obtain low-cost health care without health insurance?
Santa Clara County residents can take advantage of the FREE Santa Clara County Prescription Discount Card Program. Insured Santa Clara County residents can also take advantage of this program to help with prescription costs, -with a savings of 22 percent off the pharmacy's regular price and an average 50 percent savings on 90-day prescriptions.
Santa Clara County Low Cost Clinics:
Valley Health Center
EXPRESS CARE CLINIC
751 S. Bascom Ave.
San Jose, CA 95128
1-888-337-4600
(408) 885-5000
Appointment / Advice Line: 1-888-334-1000
(408) 885-6950
*Ability to Pay Program
Tully Clinic
500 Tully Road
San Jose, CA 95111
Services:
Adult Med M-F 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Dental M-F 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
S 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Vision M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Bascom Clinic
750 S. Bascom Avenue
San Jose, CA 95128
Services: Pediatric
Sunnyvale Clinic
660 S. Fair Oaks Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Services:
Dental: T-W 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) - Supplemental food program
M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
East Valley
1993 McKee Road
San Jose, CA 95116
Services:
Adult Medicine: M-F 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Adult Urgent Care: M-F 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Weekend and Holidays: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
Vision: M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Silver Creek
1620 E. Capital Expwy
San Jose, CA 95121
Services:
Adult Medicine: M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Moorpark
2400 Moorpark Ave.
San Jose, CA 95128
Services:
Adult Medicine: M, W-F 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Tuesdays 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
Gilroy
7475 Camino Arroyo
Gilroy, CA 95020
Services:
Adult Medicine: M-Th 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Fridays 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
Dental: Mondays 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
TB Clinic: Wednesdays 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Pregnancy Testing: M-F 8:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 10:30 a.m.
Mayview Community Health Center-Palo Alto
270 Grant Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 327-8717
Mayview Community Health Center-Mountain View
100 N. Moffet Blvd., Suite 101
Mountain View, CA 94043
(650) 965-3323
Mayview Community Health Center-Sunnyvale
785 Morse Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
(408) 746-0455
Services offered at Mayview Community Health Centers: Family Planning, General Medicine, Immunizations, Resources for dental, mammograms.....
http://www.mayview.org
CompreCare Health Center
3030 Alum Rock Ave.
San Jose, CA 95121
Medical: (408) 272-6300
Dental: (408) 272-6360
Services: General Medicine, Dental, Vision, WIC, OB/GYN
St. James Health Center
55 East Julian Street
San Jose, CA 95112
Medical: (408) 918-2600
Dental: (408) 918-2626
Optometry: (408) 918-2649
Pharmacy: (408) 918-2612
Services: General Medicine, OB/GYN
Gardner Health Center
195 E. Virginia Street
San Jose, CA 95112
(408) 918-5500
Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley
1333 Meridian Avenue
San Jose, CA 95125
(408) 445-3400
http://www.indianhealthcenter.org
Services: General Medicine, Dental, Counseling, WIC
Rotacare Free Clinic-Mountain View
El Camino Hospital
2400 Grant Road
Park Pavilion Building
Mountain View, CA 94040
(650) 988-8200
http://www.rotacarebayarea.org/mountainview.html
Services: General Medicine, Immunization, Free Medication
Rotacare Free Clinic-San Jose
100 Oak Street
San Jose, CA 95110
http://www.rotacarebayarea.org/sanjose.html
South County Community Health Center
1798A Bay Road
East Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 330-7400
Services: Adult Medicine, Dental, Family Planning, No Cost Mammogram
Free Anonymous HIV Testing/Low-cost STI Testing
Santa Clara County CRANE Center
976 Lenzen Avenue, Suite 1800
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 792-3720
Dental Services:
Western Career College
6201 San Ignacio Avenue
San Jose, CA
(408) 960-0181
Foothill College Dental hygiene Program
12345 El Monte Road
Los Altos hills, CA 94022
(650) 949-7335
Mobile Dental Van
(408) 808-6102
Counseling:
John F. Kennedy University
(408) 524-4900
Kurt and Barbara Gronowski Psychology Clinic
(650) 961-9300
www.mentalhealthclinic.org
The Center for Healthy Development
(408) 985-8111
www.chdsv.org
Ellyn D. Herb, PhD Health Psychology Associates
(408) 369-1139
www.therapy4women.com
School Health Clinics of Santa Clara County
*School Health Clinics of Santa Clara County provide primary medical care and preventative health services to low-income children and adolescents.
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