School of Medicine

The Affordable Care Act was implemented in 2014 and had a significant impact on the affordability and accessibility of healthcare for medically underserved populations within the United States. The UCSD Student-Run Free Clinic provides free and comprehensive medical care to underserved patients in San Diego County. The Free Clinic prioritizes providing healthcare to uninsured patients. Some Free Clinic patients gained insurance through the Affordable Care Act, and a subset of these insured patients continue to be cared for at the Free Clinic. Literature review suggested that patient navigators would be useful in helping these patients utilize their insurance and transition care to new medical homes.