Health Clinics Continue in Inglewood

A massive free health clinic for the under-insured continued Sunday in Inglewood, as the Obama administration backed away from a public option insurance component in its healthcare reform proposal.

The eight-day free clinic at the Forum opened Tuesday, and through Friday, more than 3,000 patients had been served, while others had to be turned away, the Los Angeles Times reported .

The clinic is being run by Remote Area Medical, a Tennessee-based nonprofit foundation that usually sets up mobile clinics in rural America or third-world countries.

The free clinic is the largest and longest-running ever attempted in the 25-year history of RAM. In its first four days, the organization provided more than 2,000 fillings and 1,000 tooth extractions, 236 mammograms and 700 pairs of eyeglasses, according to The Times.

RAM expects to serve 8,000 people during the eight-day clinic.

RAM is non-political, and its organizers, including founder Stan Brock, have stayed away from the battle over healthcare reform.

But supporters of reform said the response to the clinic shows the need for making healthcare more accessible for everyone.

"There are a lot of town halls going on across America, but, you know, I'm going to have another story to tell when I get back to Washington, D.C.," Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Inglewood, said on the first day of the clinic.

"It certainly proves that here in the inner city, healthcare is needed in the worst way," said Inglewood Mayor Roosevelt Dorn said. "If that doesn't send a message across America, I don't know what will."

However, in the face of belligerent protests at town meetings by people who have expressed concern over "death panels" and a "government takeover" of healthcare, and resistance from Republicans and conservative Democrats, the Obama administration backed away from a government-run insurance option today.

On CNN's "State of the Union," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said a public option is "not the essential element" of healthcare reform.

On "Fox News Sunday," North Dakota Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad, who is a key negotiator on the plan, said, "The fact of the matter is there are not the votes in the United States Senate for the public option. To continue to chase that rabbit, I think, is a wasted effort."

Their comments came a day after President Barack Obama said, "The public option, whether we have it or don't have it, is not the entirety of healthcare reform."

Instead of single-pay or a public option, administration officials have begun suggesting regional private cooperatives of insurance companies, not unlike what the Clinton administration proposed in the early 1990s. Dubbed Hillarycare by opponents, because then-first lady Hillary Clinton headed the effort, the proposal never got traction and was shot down.

You can watch Gigi Graciette's report on the health clinics in Inglewood in the video player for more details.