Free clinics are becoming more important as the recession continues and more Virginians find themselves without health insurance.

That was the topic at a health insurance forum held Thursday at the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Free Clinic.

In 2007, 56,000 patients visited free clinics in Virginia. That number has grown to 67,000 in 2009, and experts say it will continue to grow.

Lou Markwith, the executive director of the Virginia Association of Free Clinics attended the forum. He said free clinics will be needed even if the federal government adopts a universal health care policy.

"We believe there will be a continuing role for free clinics. There will always be people, regardless of the system that will fall through the gap," says Markwith.

There are about 1.1 million uninsured Virginians, about 20,000 of which live in Rockingham County.