Local medical professionals and public health officials worry that a bad situation is about to get much worse.

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For the County’s uninsured population, there remain only two viable options to access medial care. Monterey County Health Department’s system of clinics is one, as are the privately run clinics of Clinica de Salud. Both offer sliding-fee payment options.

For the uninsured who can’t afford to pay anything, each entity offers access to a program that covers some of the most basic healthcare needs, like lab tests and medications. But the County’s program doesn’t accept undocumented residents, who form a large segment of the population in places like East Salinas. And Clinica’s program, which only provides care to patients for three months, is severely underfunded by the State.

“We have less than $400,000 a year to fund this program for all seven of our clinics,” says Medical Director Dr. John Silva. “So we’re finding that eight months into the fiscal year, we’ve used up all our money for this particular program. And we need it, because about 15 to 20 percent of our patients rely on it to pay for their care.”

There is a third option for uninsured patients, however, especially those who live close to Salinas, home to one of the highest concentrations of low-income families in California. It’s an expensive option, and not very effective at treating long-term illnesses that need to be managed over time. But for some, the emergency room at Natividad Medical Center is a last medical refuge.