Community health centers will play a critical role in determining whether recently-passed health care reform legislation can succeed on the promise to increase access while lowering costs.
(See link below to connect to the nearest federally funded health center http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC_byAddr.aspx)
Health care reform means that over 30 million people who are currently uninsured will be covered and looking for access to medical care. Across the country, community health centers will expand to provide access for most of these newly insured individuals thanks to provisions in the bill that provide an additional $11 billion in funding for community health centers over the next five years. It is projected that this will allow community health centers to double the number of patients that they see during that time.
While $11 billion is a lot of money, utilization of community health centers is critical to achieve the cost savings projected in the health care bill. Because community health centers are not-for-profit organizations with lower cost structures than private practices, they are able to see patients more cost-effectively than private practices. But large costs savings can come from prevention and appropriate care as well.
In fact, a recent study by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative at George Washington University quantified the cost-savings projected by the expansion of community health centers. They found that the $11 billion in additional funds will allow patient volumes to increase from 18.8 million today to 33.8 million by 2015 and to 36.3 million by 2019. The report suggests that this expansion of patients utilizing community health centers could reduce overall medical costs by $181 billion between now and 2019.
Patients who have a "medical home" stay healthier. This is because the staff is familiar with their medical history and can help with preventative care and with managing chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and asthma.
When someone has a medical home, they avoid using the emergency room as their primary care physician. Medical care in the emergency room is three to four times more expensive than seeing your family doctor, according to the California Health Care Foundation. When uninsured patients use the emergency room for routine care, the rest of us absorb the cost in the form of higher insurance premiums.
Many community health centers believe the model of health care delivery works. At community health centers patients enjoy excellent care, first-rate medical and dental facilities and good medical outcomes (especially those with chronic conditions). All at very cost effective rates.
As we shift from a period with high levels of uninsured patients to a time when almost everyone will have basic health insurance, community health centers will also shift. Their role in serving the uninsured and underserved will change to providing access to quality care for the many newly insured and their families.
Community health centers across the country welcome the changes that will result from the national health reform plan and look forward to being a big part of delivering the cost-savings promised by the plan. The centers are committed to being good stewards of the increased public investment in health services and to providing the highest level of medical care.
Sources:
Reuters, Associated Press
http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC_byAddr.aspx
MC Ortega is the former publicist for the late Walter Payton, Coca-Cola and Dunkin’ Donuts. Ortega is a senior communications and messaging executive specializing in media relations, social media, program development and crisis communications. Also, Ortega is an avid traveler and international shopper. Ortega resides with her partner, Craig, dog, Fionne and extensive shoe collection. Ortega also enjoys jewelry design/production and flamenco dancing.