The Importance of Community Health Centers

Community health centers are integral components of the American health care system. They provide medical care for those that would otherwise not receive treatment or medication regardless of patients’ ability to pay. Community health centers have successfully met the needs of the medically underserved, impoverished communities of this country for the past 45 years, and are currently preparing for a massive expansion expected in the coming years. But these centers are valued not only for their ability to deliver much needed health care, they are also prized for the economic growth they stimulate in surrounding areas.

Community health centers are located in lower income, highly impoverished areas where primary physicians are scarce, and unemployment and uninsured rates are very high. These areas also present high infant mortality rates and large populations of elderly citizens. In total, these centers see roughly 20 million patients each year, including migrant workers and homeless patients. They operate on a sliding fee scale that determines one’s medical fees based on the patients’ income, but all patients are seen and treated at community health centers regardless of their ability to pay. To ensure they provide services that are in accordance with the surrounding communities’ needs, the center is governed by a board that is comprised of a majority of the centers’ patients. They approved budgets and human resources decisions, and oversee the operations of the center.

The passing of the health care reform bill in 2010 will provide medical coverage to roughly 32 million Americans by 2014. Roughly half of these newly insured will become part of the Medicaid program and most likely will be seen at local community health center. To prepare for this eminent demand, law makers allotted $2 billion through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and $11 million through the Affordable Care Act for the expansion and updating of these health centers across the country. By 2015, health centers are estimated to see roughly 40 million patients in a given year.

These community health centers are also important to neighborhoods for the positive economic growth they stimulate. According to experts, community health centers generated roughly $20 billion in their surrounding areas in 2009 alone. Because these centers are located in impoverished areas with high unemployment rates, any opportunity to boost economic growth, create new businesses, and provide employment opportunities can help to turn the entire area around.