As health care reform looms over Michigan and the nation, community health centers — what some have called the “lifeline” for the most vulnerable — face uncertainty and a potential decline in funding.
Community health centers are community-based, patient-directed organizations. They deliver comprehensive, high-quality health-care services, according to the Bureau of Primary Health Care.
These centers provide access to a range of medical services — family doctors, pediatricians, obstetricians/gynecologists, dentists, mental health care providers, pharmacies and so on. They are located in areas where economic, geographic or cultural barriers limit access to affordable health-care services. These centers receive funding from Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, adjusted patient fees and other resources to care for people who otherwise may not get health care.
Here are four reasons community health centers are important.
They are convenient
In a nation with abundant resources and advanced health-care technology, community health centers offer everyone access to care. No one is turned away from these centers, including patients with Medicaid and those without insurance.
For example, in the Jackson area, patients of all ages can have their medical and dental needs met at one of the eight locations of the Center for Family Health. The main facility in Jackson has providers for women’s health (including prenatal care by board-certified obstetricians and gynecologists), family medicine and pediatrics and offers behavioral health services, a pharmacy, a walk-in clinic and lab and X-ray services. A dental clinic is available across the street and other locations throughout the county.
The center’s school health centers make it easy for students and parents to access health care, no matter where they attend school. These low-cost medical clinics consistently accept new patients.
They save the community money
Some may wonder if community health centers cost the local area money. They actually save money because people seek services at these clinics instead of turning to hospital emergency rooms or racking up large bills from hospital stays.
In fact, uncompensated hospital care in Michigan and nationwide has been reduced by 50 percent since 2013. Why is that important? We all pay for uncompensated care because those costs are passed along to all consumers.
Another study by the National Association of Community Health Centers found that community health centers in Michigan saved $144 per patient in Medicaid spending annually. That isn’t surprising, as the average daily cost per patient is $1.88 in community health centers, compared with $2.87 for other physician groups.
More than 55 percent of health center patients are covered by Medicaid but represent only 1.7 percent of the state’s total Medicaid expenditures. In fact, the state of Michigan saves about $2,371 for every Medicaid patient who receives care from a health center. That results in a savings of more than $832 million in Michigan.
They are an economic engine
Community health centers support the economy by providing jobs, paying taxes and buying goods and services. For example, the Center for Family Health manages a $24 million annual budget, employs 240 people and is one of the top 10 employers in the city of Jackson.
They increase productivity
When people are healthy, they contribute to the society. They go to school, hold jobs and take care of their families.
The centers provide a continuum of care, helping patients manage chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. This means fewer missed days at work and more children in school, raising productivity levels for businesses and improving education outcomes.
For more information about local community health centers, visit centerforfamilyhealth.org.
To speak up for health centers, please click here.
