Community health centers (CHCs) are the cornerstone of the U.S. primary care ecosystem, providing needed care to nearly 10 percent of the population, including one-third of the population living in poverty.
These wellness hubs provide accessible dental and vision services, chronic disease care, reproductive health and behavioral health resources, and are a bulwark of public health. For example, at the height of the pandemic, CHC administered more than 22 million vaccinations, 69 percent of which were administered to people of color.
Although CHCs are rooted in high-need communities, the impact of their care extends to everyone. CHCs are responsible for generating far-reaching economic benefits of nearly $85 billion annually, including more than 500,000 high-quality jobs, and helping to contain rising national health care costs.
Therefore, we urge legislators on both sides of Georgia to ensure that CHCs receive federal funding to continue providing these highly valuable services, especially in rural areas hit hardest by the deepening clinician shortage. It's no wonder that they are working so hard to do so. To Texas. Because there aren't enough private primary care providers in the area, his CHC is often the only place he can get care within a few hours' drive.
Both the House and Senate have introduced bipartisan legislation to expand the landmark Community Health Center Fund (CHCF), providing billions of dollars in base funding as well as expanded staffing, mental health services, and hours of operation. provide additional investment in
While these actions are important steps forward, it is also time to strengthen the role of CHCs in our health system and recognize that they are a golden investment. To support CHCs in the long term, we need to rethink and strengthen the financial foundations of the health center ecosystem.
Consider helping CHC fund investments in our community’s future
Former President George W. Bush, who led the expansion of community health centers, called it a “wise use of taxpayer dollars.” More than that, they represent an investment with incremental benefits.
In testimony supporting the Senate's CHCF reauthorization bill, Amanda Pierce Kelly, CEO of Advocates for Community Health, said health centers could increase the He cited data showing $1 billion in health care spending savings. Even this remarkable number discounts the overall economic benefits of community health centers. Every dollar of federal funds invested in CHCs creates a virtuous cycle of economic activity through increased local spending on health services, food services, transportation, construction, and more.
We need to change our perspective on what it means to put money into community health centers. So funding is about more than just keeping the lights on in a particular clinic serving a particular population. This is a way to meet our moral obligation to care for our neighbors while promoting the revitalization of underserved and often disinvested neighborhoods, stimulating the job market, and We support the healthy development of generations.
Increase opportunities for CHCs to participate in value-based care models
Direct funding is important, but so is opening the door to long-term financial sustainability. Value-based care models offer CHCs a promising path to revenue growth through incentives that reward health centers for the superior outcomes they have already produced for patients.
In 2017, three-quarters of CHCs reported that clinical quality benchmarks would make them eligible for financial incentives if they had the opportunity to participate in a value-based care model, but at that time Only 39% participated.
Closing that gap by increasing CHC's unique value-based care options, especially for Medicaid patients, will build on CHC's proven track record of achieving better outcomes at lower costs than other providers. As you build up, you have the potential to accelerate your financial sustainability.
Some states, such as New York and Oregon, are already at the forefront of this trend. Both are conducting advanced Medicaid reviews centered around value-based care, and are specifically assisting with his transition to CHC.
Support staffing efforts to attract and retain qualified clinicians.
More than 100 million Americans live in areas where there is a primary care shortage, and 165 million people live in areas where there is a mental health care shortage. These numbers are likely to increase further as the current clinical staffing shortage becomes a full-blown crisis. CHCs are designed to help combat medical deserts by strategically locating them in underserved areas, but with highly qualified clinicians, social workers, and support staff, along with other Without incentives to encourage people to choose community practice over career options, they cannot operate effectively.
The Senate version of the CHCF reauthorization bill, which includes nearly $4 billion to address the shortage of primary care doctors and nurses through education programs and debt forgiveness, would be a good start.
Policymakers should supplement these efforts with additional education and work experience opportunities to stimulate clinical creativity and provide first-hand insight into how to practice efficiently and effectively in the safety net. should also be considered. Other beneficial efforts include expanding the flexibility of telemedicine during the coronavirus era to increase access to virtual care in underserved areas, as well as increasing the flexibility of telehealth to increase access to virtual care in underserved areas, as well as increasing the flexibility of nurse practitioners and physician assistants to augment traditional care. This could include investing in team-based care, including expanding the role of community health workers. continuum.
Together, we can build a future where access to quality health care is not a privilege but a right for all. By viewing CHCs through the lens of the extraordinary value they bring to everyone, we can help our community health centers stand strong, open their doors wide, let their light shine brightly, and build a healthier nation for everyone. We can make the world a reality by lighting the way to the world.
Dave A. Chokshi M.D. is a physician at Bellevue Hospital, a Sternberg Family Professor at the City University of New York, and a former New York City Health Commissioner. He also serves as an independent director of Yuvo Health, which works with community health centers to provide values-based care.
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