The state of Kentucky struggles to fight poverty that often creates barriers to adequate healthcare. Walk-in clinics and urgent care centers can help people of all incomes get the services that they need, but the state still needs to make improvements before everyone can feel secure.

Poverty in Kentucky

Louisville, the largest city in Kentucky, has the highest level of poverty. 34.8 percent of the people in Louisville have incomes below the poverty level. Overall, 23.6 percent of the state's residents live below the poverty level. To make matters even worse for Louisville, 13.7 percent of residents have incomes below 50 percent of the poverty level.

Healthcare in Kentucky

Kentucky was one of the first states to start working on a healthcare exchange network in accordance with the Affordable Care Act. The state's governor, Steve Beshear, says that the network will help more than 600,000 Kentuckians access the insurance coverage they need to receive comprehensive care at affordable prices.

Urgent Care in Kentucky

Regardless of whether one has health insurance, walk-in clinics and urgent care centers offer a lower-cost option to visiting emergency rooms. Many low-income residents of Kentucky and other states wait until they become extremely sick before seeking assistance. This often means that they rely on expensive emergency rooms for illnesses that a doctor could have prevented easily and inexpensively. Urgent care centers usually stay open much later than doctor's offices, giving people access to medications, diagnoses, and other services without forcing them to visit the ER. Retail clinics, such as those located within CVS and Walgreen's locations, offer additional affordable healthcare access points for medications, vaccinations, and medical advice.

Specific urgent care and walk-in clinic services available in may include STD testing flu shots, school physicals and many other valuable services