SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Mercy and MSU have been working together to expand healthcare access at the MSU Care Clinic, which can now accept patients with Medicaid.
According to a press release from Mercy, the MSU Care Clinic is a collaborative effort between the hospital and Missouri State University that opened in 2015 to provide free health services and medication to underserved and uninsured patients.
In the past, patients must be between 18 and 64 years old, have no health insurance, be ineligible for Medicaid, and meet household income requirements. Starting Sept. 3, the clinic eliminated the Medicaid ineligibility requirement in order to expand access to more people.
Three years ago, the Care Clinic saw an average of 330 patients each month. Nowadays, that number is closer to 85. Mercy says the drop in patients came as a result of Missouri’s Medicaid expansion.
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“We saw that expansion happen during the pandemic, and it gave greater access to Medicaid to those who needed it most,” said Justin Gassel, clinic manager at the MSU Care Clinic, in a statement. “But it also meant our clinic suddenly couldn’t accept a large number of patients we were previously caring for.”