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Free dental, medical services for New Mexicans this weekend

Helping insure the over 200K New Mexicans who don't have health insurance

Free dental, medical services for New Mexicans this weekend

Helping insure the over 200K New Mexicans who don't have health insurance

ALSO MANY FREE SERVICES THIS WEEKEND AS WELL. IT’S NEW ON 7. REPORTER: SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN OUR STATE KNOW THERE’S A NEED FOR QUALITY HEALTH CARE, WHICH IS WHY MANY GROUPS ARE PARTNERING UP TO OFFER FREE MEDICAL AND DENTAL HELP FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS IT THIS WEEKEND. CLEANINGS. FILLINGS. EXTRACTIONS. AND MORE. >> THIS IS GOING TO BE GROUND ZERO FOR ME AND A COUPLE OF MY BUDDIES. REPORTER: DENTAL CARE ON SAN ANTONIO IS BRINGING IN OVER 30 DENTAL EMPLOYEES ON SATURDAY TO GIVE FREE DENTAL CARE TO ANY NEW MEXICAN WHO NEEDS IT. >> IT’S SOMETHING THAT GETS PEOPLE IN THE DOOR, AND IT SHOWS PEOPLE THAT THIS IS A GREAT COMMUNITY THAT CARES, AND I THINK IT’S GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DON’T TYPICALLY HAVE ACCESS TO CARE. REPORTER: FOR MANY NEW MEXICANS, AFFORDABLE MEDICAL CARE IS HARD TO FIND TOO. >> IF PEOPLE DON’T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE THEY WON’T GET ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, THEY WON’T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT DIAGNOSIS THEY HAVE, MUCH LESS GET TREATED. REPORTER: THE LAST DAY TO ENROLL IN A HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR IS SUNDAY, WHICH IS WHY BE COVERED NEW MEXICO IS HOSTING A FREE HEALTH FAIR FOR THE COMMUNITY. >> WE’RE GOING TO HAVE EXPERTS THERE FROM THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO AS WELL AS OTHER COVERAGE EXPERTS TO SIT DOWN WITH FAMILIES OR INDIVIDUALS, WALK THROUGH WHAT THEIR HEALTH ISSUES ARE AND JUST HELP THEM WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE. >> SO WHETHER YOU HAVE A CAVITY OR NEED TO GET YOUR EYES CHECKED, THIS SATURDAY IS A DAY TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH AT NO COST. >> WE ALL CARE, WE’RE ALL PART OF THE SAME COMMUNITY, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GIVE BACK, WE’RE GOING TO PUT OUR ACTIONS WHERE OUR WORDS ARE. REPORTER: FOR THE TIMES AND ADDRESSES FOR THESE EVENTS, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT KOAT.COM. ONLINE WE’LL ALSO HAVE INFORMATION ON WHAT YOU CAN DO TO ENROLL IN A HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN, AS WELL AS WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU’RE UNDOCUMENTED AND NEED HEALTH CARE. MARISSA ARMAS, KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS. SASHA: THANK YOU. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR DENTAL CARE ON SAN ANTONIO IS HOSTING FREE DENTISTRY DAY. BE COVERED NEW MEXICO IS ALSO GIVING AWAY HEALTHY FOOD AND TURKEYS. ALL OF THESE EVENTS ARE FIRST COME
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Free dental, medical services for New Mexicans this weekend

Helping insure the over 200K New Mexicans who don't have health insurance

Over 200,000 people in New Mexico don't have health insurance, but many actually qualify for financial help. "If people don't have health insurance they won't get access to health care, they won't necessarily know what diagnosis they have, much less get treated," said Eugene Sun, vice president and chief medical officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico. "The key is that 62 percent of them are eligible, will be eligible for financial assistance. and why not take advantage of that." Dec. 15 is the last day to enroll in a health insurance program for the upcoming year."It's all about trying to get the 200,000 New Mexicans who do not have insurance in this state to understand what their needs are, what their options are and to get covered," Sun said. Be Covered New Mexico is working with several organizations to get families the coverage they need -- including the New Mexico Dream Team's Undocu Health program."A lot of our undocumented families are mixed status, and so a lot of them might be documented and some of them might have their 'papeles' in order, but it's important to recognize that all families struggle through that," said Luzero Velasquez, an Undocu Health fellow. A majority of undocumented New Mexicans don't have health insurance and they can't enroll in most health insurance plans, but there are resources and services out there to help."Our herbs, we have healing workshops for our youth chapters that are in high schools all over New Mexico," Velasquez said. "There's a few clinics in the South Valley that are open, that you don't need a Social Security number, you don't need anything, it's just a walk-in clinic." Because of the need for health services in the state, many organizations are offering free services this weekend. Dental Care on San Antonio is bringing in over 30 dental employees on Saturday to give free dental fillings, extractions and more to anyone who needs it. "It's something that gets people in the door, and it shows people that this is a great community that cares, and I think it's going to be an opportunity for us to do as much as we can for the people who don't typically have access to care," Dr. Jesse Varoz said."We all care, we're all part of the same community, we have the ability to give back, we're going to put our actions where our words are." Be Covered New Mexico is also having a free health and enrollment fair on Saturday. They will have free health screens, health and wellness resources, one-on-one enrollment services, entertainment and family activities, healthy food and turkey giveaways. "We're going to have experts there from the state of New Mexico as well as other coverage experts to sit down with families or individuals, walk through what their health issues are and just help them what their options are," Sun said. Free Dentistry Day:Saturday, Dec. 14, between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. at 5700 San Antonio Drive NE, Suite A1 For more information, please call 505-797-3000 or visit www.FreeDentistryDay.orgFree Albuquerque Health & Enrollment Fair:Saturday, Dec. 14, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Alamosa Community Center/Ted Gallegos Community Center, 6900 Gonzales SW, Albuquerque, NM 87121For more information visit BeCovered.org/nmServices for Undocumented community: New Mexico Dream Team Undocu Health Program, info@nmdreamteam.org, 2301 Mountain Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131Casa de Salud, 1608 Isleta Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105, (505) 907-8311 Centro Sávila, 1317 Isleta Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105, (505) 312-7296

Over 200,000 people in New Mexico don't have health insurance, but many actually qualify for financial help.

"If people don't have health insurance they won't get access to health care, they won't necessarily know what diagnosis they have, much less get treated," said Eugene Sun, vice president and chief medical officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico. "The key is that 62 percent of them are eligible, will be eligible for financial assistance. and why not take advantage of that."

Dec. 15 is the last day to enroll in a health insurance program for the upcoming year.

"It's all about trying to get the 200,000 New Mexicans who do not have insurance in this state to understand what their needs are, what their options are and to get covered," Sun said.

Be Covered New Mexico is working with several organizations to get families the coverage they need -- including the New Mexico Dream Team's Undocu Health program.

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"A lot of our undocumented families are mixed status, and so a lot of them might be documented and some of them might have their 'papeles' in order, but it's important to recognize that all families struggle through that," said Luzero Velasquez, an Undocu Health fellow.

A majority of undocumented New Mexicans don't have health insurance and they can't enroll in most health insurance plans, but there are resources and services out there to help.

"Our herbs, we have healing workshops for our youth chapters that are in high schools all over New Mexico," Velasquez said. "There's a few clinics in the South Valley that are open, that you don't need a Social Security number, you don't need anything, it's just a walk-in clinic."

Because of the need for health services in the state, many organizations are offering free services this weekend.

Dental Care on San Antonio is bringing in over 30 dental employees on Saturday to give free dental fillings, extractions and more to anyone who needs it.

"It's something that gets people in the door, and it shows people that this is a great community that cares, and I think it's going to be an opportunity for us to do as much as we can for the people who don't typically have access to care," Dr. Jesse Varoz said."We all care, we're all part of the same community, we have the ability to give back, we're going to put our actions where our words are."


Be Covered New Mexico is also having a free health and enrollment fair on Saturday. They will have free health screens, health and wellness resources, one-on-one enrollment services, entertainment and family activities, healthy food and turkey giveaways.

"We're going to have experts there from the state of New Mexico as well as other coverage experts to sit down with families or individuals, walk through what their health issues are and just help them what their options are," Sun said.

Free Dentistry Day:

  • Saturday, Dec. 14, between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. at 5700 San Antonio Drive NE, Suite A1
  • For more information, please call 505-797-3000 or visit www.FreeDentistryDay.org

Free Albuquerque Health & Enrollment Fair:

  • Saturday, Dec. 14, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Alamosa Community Center/Ted Gallegos Community Center, 6900 Gonzales SW, Albuquerque, NM 87121
  • For more information visit BeCovered.org/nm

Services for Undocumented community:

  • New Mexico Dream Team Undocu Health Program, info@nmdreamteam.org, 2301 Mountain Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131
  • Casa de Salud, 1608 Isleta Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105, (505) 907-8311
  • Centro Sávila, 1317 Isleta Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105, (505) 312-7296