COMMUNITY
HEALTH CENTERS
(Better Access, Lower Costs )
Local
health centers can provide basic care, and savings, for
MILLIONS of underserved Americans.
One
exciting new trend (on the west coast) is **integrative
pharmacies whose "goal is to help you achieve optimum health,
vitality and wellness, whether through traditional prescription
services, **complementary and natural remedies, or a personalized
blend of both" (See Integrative
Pharmacies).
Dan
Butts
January 26, 2008
***
Local
Health Centers Key to Care
Sen.
Bernie Sanders and Rep. Jim Clyburn
The Politico
January 21, 2009
(highlights)
Today,
community health centers provide primary medical
care to 18 million Americans in underserved rural areas and inner
cities. Their doors are open to all, including patients with Medicare,
Medicaid and private insurance, as well as those who have no
insurance at all...
In
other words, for a total of $8.3 BILLION by the year 2015,
we could have 4,800 health centers caring for 60 MILLION more
Americans in every area of the country that is designated medically
underserved...
In
fact, community health centers are estimated to reduce
health care spending in the United States by between $10 BILLION
and $18 BILLION annually.
***
Community health centers provide quality primary care at
a significant savings for millions of Americans, but 60 million
Ameri-
cans still lack meaningful access to primary health care, dental
care,
mental health counseling and low-cost prescription drugs.
Those
are the people Health and Human Services Secretary
Tom Daschle was talking about when he wrote that "even if we
achieve 'universal' coverage, there will be some percentage of
people who still fall through the cracks."
So
as Congress and the new administration take on both
our economic and health care crises, putting significantly more
resources into community health centers would be a smart way
to save money, create jobs and help millions of Americans stay
healthy.
Community
health care programs have been around for
a long time. People accept them as a part of their everyday lives.
More than 40 years ago, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy had the foresight
to author legislation creating community health centers.
Today,
support for the successful Federally Qualified Health
Center program cuts across party lines. The program was signifi-
cantly expanded under former President George W. Bush, but we
can do much better. One person who agrees with us is President
Barack Obama, who last year co-sponsored a bill in the Senate to
significantly expand the program.
Today,
community health centers provide primary medical
care to 18 million Americans in underserved rural areas and inner
cities. Their doors are open to all, including patients with Medicare,
Medicaid and private insurance, as well as those who have no
insurance at all.
Furthermore,
the centers provide their services on a sliding-
scale basis, meaning that those with low incomes receive discounts.
No patient who walks into a community health center is turned away
because he or she cannot pay.
Our
current $2 BILLION yearly investment in community health
centers provides comprehensive primary health care through 1,100
community-run, nonprofit organizations in every region of the
country.
The
average cost in federal funds comes to about $125 per
patient per year. By increasing funding to less than 0.5 % of overall
U.S. spending on medical care, we could provide primary health care
to every American who needs it.
In
other words, for a total of $8.3 BILLION by the year
2015, we could have 4,800 health centers caring for 60 MILLION
more Americans in every area of the country that is designated
medically underserved.
In
addition to meeting compelling needs, this upfront invest-
ment would more than pay for itself. Reports indicate that overall
medical expenses for health center patients are 41 % lower than
for patients seen elsewhere.
In
the case of Medicaid alone, the total cost per patient
is almost $1,000 less per year than for Medicaid patients treated
in other settings. This is achieved by treating people when they
should be treated, instead of relying on expensive emergency rooms
and unnecessary hospital admissions.
In
fact, community health centers are estimated to reduce
health care spending in the United States by between $10 BILLION
and $18 BILLION annually.
It
is not often that we are presented such a clear win-win
situation: a program that meets critical needs while reducing
expenditures by more than it costs. No wonder federal auditors
consistently rate community health centers as one of the most
efficient uses of federal funds.
In
the richest country in the world, no American should go
without basic health care. Community health centers are a critical
lifeline for millions of Americans, and we must build upon their
success by making them available to all those in need.
Sen.
Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, is a member
of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Rep. Jim Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat, is the House majority
whip.
*****
Comments
YES
on Community Health
Thu, 01/22/2009 - 19:09 — Anonymous (not verified) YES on Community
Health Care. Good thinking by some of out more thoughtful congressional
leaders.Too bad that we have people like Jim Demint in the Senate
-- his view of the world is to not confirm Hillary because she is
probably for allowing international funding of women's health care
and themes of choice and education. --- The issue of health care
for all IS a local issue, and a locality-based focus is most likely
the best solution. Big, impersonal, federal, bureaucratic solutions
won't work. The local units just need funding.
As a pediatrician in an
Thu, 01/22/2009 - 14:57 — Dr, T (not verified) As a pediatrician
in an inner city health center for the past 23 years, I can say
with certainty that community health centers DO provide excellent,
cost-effective health care to some of our nation's neediest. The
demand is far greater than the current capacity, however, and I
fear that unless health centers are invigorated with renewed and
increased funding, many will be forced to either scale back the
services they offer or close entirely. We rely on far more than
federal funding, however.
Reimbursement rates from private insurers fail to keep up with our
rising costs. And the states have been forced to cut people from
the Medicaid rolls due to decreased federal funds for Medicaid.
This increases the number of uninsured patients and dilutes the
amount available to spend on each patient. In addition, ancillary
services (such as mental health, nutrition education, diabetes and
asthma teaching, etc) are all more effective if offered on site.
Increasing funding would allow us to offer these services and would
no doubt help to lower health care costs overall by improving the
health of our patients.
You need to eliminate
Thu, 01/22/2009 - 02:35 — windskull (not verified) You need
to eliminate federally funded strictly for profit HCA Heath from
the equation allowing rural hospitals and clinics physicians to
live up to their full potential rather than merely stabilize and
transport to University Hackspital where negligence, misdiagnosis,
patient dumping and fraud are the rule not the exception and Mr
President Colorado recognizes the medical benefits of marijuana
BUT because of the HCA strictly for profit scam federally funded
rural health care staff cannot recommend patients to the state registry
as is required by law out of fear of career ending termination regardless
of the patients condition I emplore you Mr President lift these
archaic federal restrictions that deny patients lawful access to
this medication.
*****
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