11/29/2025
Project Care Clinics provide basic free healthcare for the Iron Range
Pam Dowell – Freelance Writer
The complexity and costs of healthcare are rising in the United States. The tax credit topic for open market applicants is still under consideration with the U.S. legislature, as it discusses the pros and cons of the Affordable Care Act. Open enrollment occurs annually. This is the time of year when people should review, select, or modify their health insurance if they are “marketplace” insured.
Open enrollment in the MN SURE market started November 1,
2025, and runs through January 15, 2026. People are encouraged to submit their applications by December 15, 2025, to start coverage on January 1, 2026.
Healthcare coverage is not universal in the United States. Citizens can be covered by marketplace coverage (MN Sure) and/or employer-based coverage. A common complaint with insurance markets in the United States is the unaffordability of coverage. An example cited for a working American earning $60k annually would be an anticipated cost of 16% percent of that income applied to healthcare coverage. On average ACA health care costs $590 per month without subsidies, with an average $10k deductible (healthcare.gov).
Project Care Free Clinics of the Iron Range with clinics in Hibbing (Monday), Grand Rapids (Tuesday) and Virginia (Thursday) offer two-hour time slots from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., appointments in advance preferred, for people who are “in-the-gap” (between jobs, recently moved from other counties, new to the state, etc.), uninsured and underinsured providing basic health care services. Project Care Free Clinic is a non-profit that is supported by grants and private donations. The provider care teams are all-volunteer. Each office location is supported and supplemented by the local area hospital: Fairview Hibbing, Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital, and Essentia Health – Virginia.
A brief history of the ACA (Affordable Care Act)
It’s complicated. Mitt Romney (R), in 2006, as [then] governor in Massachusetts, listened to his state electorate that voiced the need for a universal healthcare plan as the landscape of employer-based insurance was ever-changing. Citizens shared concerns about what was viewed as outdated: the once-standard 9-to-5, forty-hour workweek with employer healthcare coverage, which was based on the control of the employer rather than the individual. An employer-based healthcare insurance system did not account for a shifting workforce, an economic landscape that could be perilous due to shutdowns and layoffs, and the needs of self-employed and non-union workers. Private healthcare insurance companies were allowed to discriminate based on disability, health history, and other pre-existing conditions relating to age and gender. The Massachusetts health care reform law was passed in 2006 to provide health insurance to nearly all of the residents of the Commonwealth. After the implementation of “Romneycare” – 98% of Massachusetts residents had health coverage.
On March 23, 2010, the 111th United States Congress signed into law the Affordable Care Act (ACA), informally known as “Obamacare.” This was the U.S. healthcare system's most significant regulatory overhaul and expansion of healthcare coverage in America. What the ACA had done was provided insurance for people who were previously uninsurable. What the ACA hasn’t done is helped control the costs while the free-market limits fewer and fewer organizations from competitive business models. Healthcare in the United States continues to be a for-profit business. Forbes media cites market consolidation and vertical integration as core contributors to today’s price increases in health care coverage. A recent World Health Organization metrics study reported that the United States ranked 37th overall among comparable Western countries and came in last among the highest-income countries. This broken healthcare system is also the leading cause of personal bankruptcy for US individuals.
In the interim: Which bills can I afford? Can I afford to be uninsured?
A real conversation is happening across the United States. Can I afford to be uninsured? What if my employment insurance is too costly for my household income? In 2023, the Kaiser Family Foundation reported that there were still 25.3 million people in the United States without insurance. Most of the people were working but were still outside the reach of employer-based insurance or public programs. Uninsured people face the difficulty of accessing preventive care and the risk of unaffordable medical bills and emergencies. The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) says the need for free clinics is more vital than ever, serving as the safety net for Americans without healthcare.
Healthcare in the United States is fragmented and varies from state to state. Coverage is not universal and does not travel between states, often not between counties. Employer-based insurance remains a prevailing source for the working force however; not all workers are covered by their employers. Few people can afford to purchase private coverage without financial assistance such as tax credits.
What does a basic health care clinic provide?
A basic health care free clinic is similar to a rapid or minute clinic. The clinic is modeled to assist people with provider care for health issues considered non-emergent or non-complex. Project Care Free Clinics provides the service at no fee. Prescription costs are the responsibility of the patient. Project Care does not prescribe controlled narcotics. Each clinic has its own contract with its area hospital for a list of general services, which includes (limited) lab draws, diagnostics, and x-rays. All site coordinators are trained for clinic management, referral, and intake assistance.
Project Care Free Clinics of the Iron Range offer:
• Blood pressure management
• Cholesterol management
• Thyroid management
• Diabetic education, management, and assistance
• Basic medical care to include minor surgical and wound care
• Chiropractic care and referral
• Physical therapy care and referral
• Mental Health care and referral
• Medication Assistance Programs
• Insurance Navigation referrals
• General and Sports Physicals
• Immunization referrals and information
• Diabetic eye exams
• Cold, sniffles, allergies, bronchitis, sore throat and minor illness care
• Agency assistance and referral – crisis care, elder care, & area support services
Project Care Free Clinics of the Iron Range has three conveniently located clinics. Project Care is not government-supported and is a stand-alone non-profit agency. Donations are greatly appreciated. Appointments are preferred for screening and registration. You can learn more about Project Care by visiting projectcarefreeclinic.org. Donations may be sent to the main office at 3112 6th Ave. East, Hibbing, MN 55746.
Until healthcare is considered a human right where care and coverage are available for every U.S. citizen, the need for free clinics to serve in a supplemental capacity continues, the band-aid between minor illness and the emergency room.
