The latest policy research brief by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative, titled “The Health Care Access and Cost Consequences of Reducing Health Center Funding,” examines the consequences for access and cost savings of reduced federal funding for community health centers. The proposed $ 1.3 billion reduction in FY 2011 health center funding would undermine efforts to expand access to quality care for vulnerable populations, reduce health disparities, improve birth outcomes, protect local economies, and save federal and state health care costs. The reductions would significantly reduce health center capacity, eliminating access for between 10 to 12 million patients and further, would translate into a loss of approximately $15 billion in cost savings.
The research brief is authored by Peter Shin and Sara Rosenbaum.