Health
Americans wait overnight for access to free healthcare as costs soar ‘out of reach’
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The Trump administration’s recent pullback on health insurance has left fewer Americans with coverage.
For the uninsured, being treated for certain conditions may be out of the question due to high costs.
This has led some Americans to wait multiple days, some even sleeping overnight in their cars, to seek free free healthcare from volunteer clinics like Remote Area Medical (RAM).
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The Tennessee-based nonprofit organization, founded in 1985, employs volunteer healthcare professionals to treat Americans without insurance at no cost.
In a recent episode of CBS News’ 60 Minutes, host Scott Pelley spoke with people waiting to be brought into the clinic.
Medical professionals from all around the U.S. volunteer their time at Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinics. (Remote Area Medical)
In February, Sandra Tallent drove 200 miles from Huntsville, Alabama, to RAM’s pop-up clinic in Knoxville, Tennessee, to have her teeth examined.
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She arrived at the clinic site at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday and spoke to Pelley from her car at 5 a.m. Friday, after sleeping for two nights in the parking lot.
Pelley asked, “If you didn’t have RAM, how would you get your teeth taken care of?” Tallent responded, “I wouldn’t.”
Some Americans have been waiting hours and even sleeping overnight in their cars to be seen by a doctor. (iStock)
Tallent was later seen by a dental expert and had dentures created in RAM’s 3D denture-printing lab.
Connor Gibson, a 22-year-old engineer, uses computer design to get the job done in just about an hour, according to the report. This is a process that can typically take weeks.
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“We see grown men cry sitting in the chair,” Gibson told 60 Minutes, describing what it’s like for patients to see themselves with a new set of teeth for the first time.
This includes Tallent, who looked in the mirror and smiled with tears in her eyes, expressing her gratitude.
Remote Area Medical clinic volunteers and patients are pictured at the center in Tennessee. RAM has recently expanded its services to include women’s health exams, general wellness check-ups and sports physicals. (Remote Area Medical)
In an interview with Fox News Digital, RAM CEO Chris Hall shared how their clinics pop up and move across the country to expand access for more Americans.
“All of our services are provided free of cost to patients on a first come, first serve basis,” he said. “And we do that through our team of dedicated volunteers and professionals that come from all around the county.”
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RAM provides cleanings, fillings and extractions, as well as comprehensive eye exams and access to an eyeglass lab that can manufacture eyewear and dentures, according to Hall.
About 60% of patients seek dental care, he said, and about 30% to 35% seek vision care.
RAM provides cleanings, fillings and extractions, as well as comprehensive eye exams and access to an eyeglass lab that can manufacture eyewear and dentures. (iStock)
RAM has recently expanded its services to include women’s health exams, general wellness check-ups and sports physicals.
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In 2008, RAM held about 10 to 12 events per year. Today, it has grown to 90 full-scale operations, with events happening nearly every weekend, Hall shared.
Hall said the demand for medical care has been consistent for the last 20 years. Even for some patients who have insurance, the out-of-pocket premiums and deductibles can be “out of reach.”
Chris Hall, CEO of Remote Area Medical, describes the operation as “inspiring, yet heartbreaking.” (Remote Area Medical)
“The communities that we go into, the patients who are coming through our door, these are working-class people,” Hall said.
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“Whether we’re doing events in rural Appalachia or downtown Los Angeles, the patients who are coming … they’re just isolated and do not get the care that they need,” he added.
Hall said he’s heard “heartbreaking” stories from patients who have put off medical care to keep the lights on in their homes and provide food for their families.
new video loaded: Wii Bowling Takes Over Tulsa Retirement Homes
transcript
transcript
Wii Bowling Takes Over Tulsa Retirement Homes
Retirement communities in Tulsa, Okla., compete against one another in a Nintendo Wii Sports bowling league.
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“That’s how you win.” “There you go, Ron.” “Way to go.”
By Nick Oxford, Alisa Shodiyev Kaff and Alexandra E. Petri
June 19, 2026
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As the popularity of GLP-1 drugs continues to climb, significant weight loss associated with the medications has been linked to a growing list of cosmetic concerns.
Some surgeons report that more patients are seeking treatments for so-called “Ozempic earlobes,” which reportedly appear thinner, longer or more sagging after the loss of facial fat.
“The use of semaglutides causes you to lose fat across your body, including the small, fat pads of the earlobes,” facial plastic surgeon Sachin S. Parikh, MD, told NewBeauty.
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“It’s important to note that semaglutides do not damage ear tissue or affect hearing in any way, so any intervention would be purely cosmetic,” added the California-based doctor.
Some of the potential treatments for “Ozempic earlobes” may include dermal filler, fat transfer, laser treatments or surgical earlobe reduction, according to the report.
As the popularity of GLP-1 drugs continues to climb, significant weight loss associated with the medications has been linked to a growing list of cosmetic concerns. (iStock)
Dr. Mohammed Asif from Duly Health and Care in Naperville, Illinois, said that while he hasn’t personally noticed an uptick in ear surgeries, he has seen a rise in other procedures due to GLP-1-triggered weight loss.
Some of those include panniculectomies (Ozempic skin removal surgery) and abdominoplasties (tummy tucks).
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“There has been a significant increase in body contouring procedures among patients with GLP-1 weight loss,” Asif told Fox News Digital.
“In my practice, I’ve seen a significant surge in breast lifts, panniculectomies (skin removal surgery), abdominoplasties (tummy tucks), brachioplasties (arm lifts) and thighplasties due to weight loss.”
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Healing and recovery are “far greater and less complicated” than with bariatric surgery weight loss, Asif noted.
“This is due to the gradual weight loss achieved over time with GLP-1s.”
“Ozempic breast” is another common complaint, according to Dr. Michael Omidi, a double board-certified plastic surgeon practicing in Beverly Hills.
“There has been a significant increase in body contouring procedures among patients with GLP-1 weight loss,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“Women in their 30s and 40s would not typically need a breast lift, but when you’re taking drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy that cause rapid weight loss, women can see gravity take its toll on their breasts,” he told Fox News Digital.
“When women, especially younger ones, lose fat too fast, it causes the breasts, which are comprised of fat, glandular tissue and skin, to lose volume,” he went on. “The skin and supporting ligaments don’t always bouce back at the same rate as the weight loss, resulting in breasts that can appear saggy and deflated.”
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Dr. Samuel Golpanian, a double board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, said he has seen “dozens” of patients – men and women alike – seeking treatments for so-called “Ozempic butt” after significant weight loss.
“This is an unintended consequence of taking GLP-1s,” he told Fox News Digital.
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“Such dramatic weight loss in a short period of time causes the skin not to tighten quickly enough to keep up with the body’s changes. Our buttocks have a large amount of fat, so when that volume disappears quickly, you’ll develop a flatter, saggier behind.”
“Such dramatic weight loss in a short period of time causes the skin not to tighten quickly enough to keep up with the body’s changes,” a surgeon said. (iStock)
Kristy Hamilton, MD, a Houston-based surgeon who is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), agreed that a growing number of patients are seeking skin-tightening procedures after losing large amounts of weight with GLP-1s.
“We’re absolutely seeing more of those patients, and I expect that trend to continue,” said Hamilton in an ASPS report.
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“People are losing as much as 100 pounds on this medication – and when you’re losing that amount, that’s significant. You’re certainly going to have excess skin afterward.”
The ASPS lists the following body-contouring procedures as the ones most frequently performed after substantial weight loss.
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- Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty): Removes excess abdominal skin and fat
- Lower body lift (belt lipectomy): Addresses the abdomen, buttocks, hips and thighs
- Arm lift (brachioplasty): Removes hanging upper-arm skin
- Thigh lift: Tightens excess skin of the inner thighs
- Breast lift (mastopexy): Addresses sagging, deflated breasts after weight loss
- Facelift/neck lift: Addresses facial volume loss and skin laxity after major weight loss
“People are losing as much as 100 pounds on this medication – and when you’re losing that amount, that’s significant. You’re certainly going to have excess skin afterward.” (iStock)
Experts say adequate protein intake and resistance training can help minimize the loss of lean muscle mass that often accompanies rapid weight loss, which could reduce some of the cosmetic concerns.
Golpanian also emphasized the importance of eating enough protein.
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“It can be harder since your appetite is suppressed, but it’s so important to consume at least 110 grams of protein a day while taking a GLP-1 drug,” he advised.
“Also, I say this to my patients all the time: You have to lift weights to keep your muscles from atrophying. Strength training can help build muscles and preserve your glutes.”
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