Thousands of people line up before dawn every weekend across the country to receive free medical care at pop-up clinics, but a patchwork of state laws prevents volunteer doctors from helping as many people as possible.
Despite these limitations, remote community medicine (RAM) makes life-changing changes every week.
At a recent clinic, Dave Burge held up a hand mirror, looked at himself, and smiled. His teeth had been extracted twice. First, he explained that the damage was caused by a head-on collision caused by a drunk driver. After two years of rehabilitation, he returned to the construction industry. However, when the drill hit the rebar, the recoil bounced back into his mouth, breaking his tooth again.
Now sitting in the dental chair, Burge gets his first glimpse of a new set of dentures made and installed by RAM. They changed not only his appearance, but also his confidence. “It’s amazing,” he said.
After a while, he said more simply: “Thanks to you, I got my life back.”
Burge is one of thousands of patients treated by RAM, a volunteer-run charity that provides free medical, dental and vision care to underserved communities across the country. Approximately half of patients do not have insurance. The rest have insurance they can’t afford to use because of copays and deductibles.
This week, 60 Minutes revisits the organization nearly two decades after first highlighting its work. Correspondent Scott Pelley first reported on RAM in 2008. At the time, the group was running about a dozen pop-up clinics each year.
The response to the broadcast was immediate, with $4 million in donations and thousands of volunteers participating. RAM currently hosts approximately 90 clinics per year.
The organization was founded in the 1980s by British-born adventurer Stan Block, and initially aimed to provide medical care to remote areas of South America. But Block soon realized that another kind of isolation existed much closer to home. Millions of Americans lack access to affordable health care.
RAM’s mission changed accordingly, providing free clinics to communities across the country. These events operate on the simple principle of a no-questions-asked treatment for those who attend.
But even as the organization has grown, some things have remained the same. At a recent clinic in Knoxville, Perry observed long lines forming before dawn as patients waited in the parking lot for dental treatment, eye exams or basic medical care. At its clinic, RAM treated 1,200 patients.
In other events, RAM’s compassion is hampered by bureaucratic practices.
A major hurdle is the patchwork of state licensing laws governing medical professionals. In many states, doctors and dentists cannot cross state lines to volunteer, even for short-term charity work, unless they have a local license.
Block himself highlighted this issue several years ago, noting the difficulty of recruiting enough local providers. His advocacy inspired the Tennessee Volunteer Medical Services Act of 1995, which allows out-of-state clinicians to volunteer in the state. Several other states have adopted similar policies, but restrictions remain widespread.
RAM is now led by CEO Chris Hall, who says these limitations continue to hinder the organization’s reach.
“Healthcare workers spend years training across state lines,” Hall explained. “But when it comes to licensing, they’re licensed in one state. And there’s a bureaucratic process that prevents them from crossing state lines to provide free care.”
One clinic in Tennessee recently had volunteers come in from across the country, including New Jersey, New York, Louisiana and Washington, to help meet demand. Among them was dentist Glenn Goldstein, who expressed frustration at being unable to volunteer in neighboring states due to licensing barriers.
“What I’m doing in New Jersey is the same as what I’m doing in Tennessee and California,” Goldstein said.
“There are some doctors who are willing to give their time, but they are limited by state licensing.”
Goldstein and others are advocating for a nationwide solution: a federal law that would allow medical professionals to volunteer freely in all 50 states. This idea is similar to international humanitarian models such as Médecins Sans Frontières.
Hall noted that in Tennessee, RAM can treat nearly three times as many patients as in states with more restrictive laws. He believes that easing these regulations would greatly expand access to care. “We’re going to see a surge in health care providers and more people being treated every day,” he said.
Hall also emphasized that changes in national policy will make it easier to hold such events, reducing the time, cost and administrative burden required to obtain approvals.
For now, the need for RAM clinics remains urgent and growing. Mr. Block once told Mr. Perry that he hoped RAM would eventually become “out of work.” But nearly two decades later, that goal feels far away.
Still, for patients like Sandra Tallent, the clinic is nothing short of life-changing. Like Burge, she also recently had new dentures fitted at the clinic. She drove 200 miles and spent two nights in the car to see if RAM could meet her.
After she held up a mirror to observe her new smile, Perry asked her what the moment meant to her. “I really appreciate it,” she replied. “I don’t know what to do. The Lord will make a way for me. But I feel like the Lord made a way for me in RAM.”
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