In this interview, Nicole Lamoureux shares how the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) ensures underserved communities have equal access to quality healthcare.
Hear Nicole Lamoureux’s full interview with Adam Torres on the Mission Matters Innovation Podcast.
What drew you to NAFC, the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics?
Lamoureux says she’s always had an interest in politics, and when she worked for the National Association of Homebuilders and the American Horse Council after graduating from Catholic University, she realized she wanted to give more back. Around the same time, she was diagnosed with breast cancer; While she used her insurance to access the care she needed, she empathized with people who didn’t have that privilege.
“Soon after, I started finding free and charitable clinics in the US and eventually building an organization,” she explains. What began with just 75 members now includes more than 1,400 participating organizations across the country.
The importance of equitable health care
Lamoureux notes that there is a misconception about the Affordable Care Act, which some people believe gave everyone access to health insurance. That’s not true, she says, and as a result, the healthcare landscape today isn’t equitable: Not every employer offers employee coverage, not all health insurance plans on the market are affordable, and many people have little to no access to mental health care, dental care or prescription drugs they need.
She stresses that insurance needs to become more understandable for people and that health literacy should also be a focus. The fact that so many people of color — particularly Black or Indigenous people — in the United States have different, often profoundly subpar, healthcare experiences compared to their white counterparts means that “we should recognize the differences and make healthcare more affordable, accessible and affordable. and…
