KEY MESSAGES
In 2015, America’s Health Centers will celebrate 50 years of success in expanding access to
quality and affordable primary and preventive healthcare services to millions of uninsured and medically underserved people nationwide. Our strong and enduring health center mission is a testament to the important past, present and future role of health centers in the nation’s healthcare system.
FOR LEGISLATORS/INFLUENCERS:
- Community health centers save money.
- Health centers are cost-savers. They save $24 billion a year in reduced overall costs from hospitalizations and visits to the emergency room.
- Health centers created more than 230,000 jobs in 2012, a 22 percent increase since 2009.
- During the George W. Bush Administration, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) gavecommunity health centers three stars—the highest rating possible—as an effective federal program.
- Community health centers deliver quality care.
- Nearly 100 percent of surveyed patients were satisfied with the care they received at a community health center.
- Research shows that health centers demonstrated equal or better quality performance than private practices on ambulatory quality measures, despite serving patients with more chronic disease and socioeconomic challenges.
- Community health centers offer access to care.
- Health centers offerweekend and evening hours for working families.
- Health centers offset the recent decline in overall availability of primary care providers.
- Health centers provide a quality, affordable healthcare home to the first-time insured.
- When people have access to primary and preventive services at a health center, they stay healthy avoid costly hospital visits.
- Community health centers are built on a foundation of public/private partnership.
- Loss of any type of funding could result in a loss of access to care for many of the 23 million people currently served at health centers and trigger increased healthcare costs.
- Community health centers are economic engines. In 2012, health centers generated more than $26.5 billion in economic activity for local communities, a 33 percent increase since 2009. The loss of funding could trigger job losses, not only at the health center,but also surrounding businesses.
FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC:
- Community health centers started out as a small pilot program.Fifty years later, the centershave not just survived, but have expanded into the largest system of primary care that serves 23 million people. Why? Because they are good at what they do.
- Community health centers not only provide quality care, they go beyond healthcare to solve problems that can affect community health.
- At a health center, people have a voice in their care. Health centers are governed by consumer boards with a patient majority to ensure they are responsive to community needs and accountable for their performance.
- Community health centers create jobs and generate economic growth in your area:
- $26.5billion in total economic activity for local communities in 2012, a 33 percent increase since 2009.
- More than 230,000 jobs in 2012, a 22 percent increase since 2009.
- Access to care is not a poor person’s problem. It’s everyone’s problem.
- 62 million people struggle to get healthcare in America, and many of them do have insurance, just no place to go for care.
- When people have a health center near where they live or work, they visit it to stay healthy and out of hospital emergency rooms.
- Community health centers provide high-quality care at lower cost.
- Patients who receive care at community health centers report nearly 100 percent satisfaction.
- Most community health centers meet or exceed national quality standards.
- Increased use of community health centers helps reduce racial and ethnic health inequalities.
- Community health centers not only prevent illness, but address the factors that cause it, just as nutrition, unemployment, joblessness.