Free medical care providers in Chester County have seen a steady increase in patients over the last three years, and are worried that a repeal of the Affordable Care Act could grow those numbers, writes Harold Brubaker for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Maureen Tomoschuk, CEO of Community Volunteers in Medicine, noted that, although Chester County is the wealthiest county in the state, people still fall through the cracks.

“Our concern is, with changes to the Affordable Care Act, there will be more people who need us,” she said.

The organization has already seen the number of its patients increase by 21 percent over the past three years, even with ACA available.

To qualify for CVIM’s services, individuals must be residents of Chester County, lack insurance, and have a yearly income of less than 300 percent of the poverty level, or $35,640 for an individual. The organization relies on volunteers and philanthropy, as well as donated services from health systems.

CVIM is part of a strong health safety net in Chester County, according to Jeanne Casner, director of the Chester County Health Department.

“Community Volunteers in Medicine does it in a very unique way, using a volunteer model, and are super-effective at it,” said Casner.

Read more about the local concerns of repealing the Affordable Care Act in the Philadelphia Inquirer here.