Health care and the uninsured rate in Athens-Clarke County were among the key problems facing the county that were featured in Habitat for Humanity’s panel discussion Tuesday.

“The biggest issue comes down to the uninsured rate,” Delene Porter, president of OneAthens Community Foundation said.

The event was part of the University’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity’s Act! Speak! Build! week.

Bob Galen, associate dean and professor in the College of Public Health, and Porter led the discussion.

Nineteen percent of ACC residents do not have health insurance, placing a heavy burden on hospitals, Galen said.

Several local clinics in Athens serve the uninsured, such as Mercy Hospital, Athens Neighborhood Health Center and the Nurse’s Clinic, but their hours are limited. They have only the equivalent of two full-time physicians treating uninsured patients in ACC, Porter said.

But, panel members said, giving free health care to the uninsured will not solve all problems facing people living in poverty.

“The goal is to get the entire community to take responsibility for the issues,” Porter said. “We need to take a multiple-tier approach, not just do one thing.”

Galen said he thinks health care should be considered as important as education.

“Education is required and provided to everyone for free,” he said. “From my view, we could have the same view of health care.”

The panel also talked about immigration and the effects of uninsured illegal immigrants on the community.

Galen said the system needs to be corrected. Those receiving health care without insurance indirectly pass the costs down to those able to pay medical bills, he said.

He also said children of illegal immigrants, even if they are citizens, suffer lack of health care because their parents fear being deported if they are discovered to be noncitizens.

Stephen Dorner, a sophomore from Alpharetta, asked the panel what steps it recommends for students to get started in the field of health care reform.

“Go to graduate school and pursue an area you’re interested in,” Galen said.

Porter said she encourages students to remain open-minded and take on leadership positions in the community.

“We need strong leaders who are willing to take risks,” she said.