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Free clinics tell Senate Health and Welfare they fill widening gaps as demand rises
Summary
Leaders of Vermont’s eight free and referral clinics told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee that rising uninsured and underinsured patient counts, growing oral-health needs and housing instability are increasing demand for free clinic services; the network seeks level legislative funding for FY26.
OLIVEA SHERROW, executive director of the Vermont Free & Referral Clinics (VFRC), told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee that the eight-clinic network cared for 12,154 patients in 2024 and relies on a legislative appropriation managed by the Vermont Department of Health that covers just over half of the network’s collective operating expenses.
That funding, Sherrow said, allowed clinics to hire staff, expand space and broaden services. “This funding allows us to keep our doors open, and it also allows us to remain the only place where patients can come where they are guaranteed not to receive a bill,” Sherrow said.
Why it matters: VFRC representatives said their clinics serve people who are uninsured, underinsured or otherwise unable to access care elsewhere; the clinics provide a safety net that clinic leaders say reduces emergency-department visits and hospitalizations.
Sherrow told senators the network’s patients face multiple barriers: about 25% of VFRC patients were uninsured in 2024, roughly 45% were underinsured, 20% lacked a primary care provider, 41% were at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, and…
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