Community-Based Health Centers Could Save States Millions of Dollars

According to recent study conducted by The George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services - - "Community Health Centers in Indiana: State Investments and Returns" - - these key findings indicate the importance of health care centers in the U.S., particularly to vulnerable populations:

1. For every dollar spent on patient care at an Indiana Community Health Center, $1.90 is saved in overall health care spending when compared with other primary care settings.
2. Indiana CHCs effectively target a population that is economically stressed and financially and medically at risk. Approximately nine in 10CHC patients have incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level(FPL).
3. Health care services provided at Indiana CHCs are less costly than those provided at other outpatient provider settings, with an annual per-patient cost of $1,529 at CHCs versus $2,924 in other settings --resulting in a savings of $1,395 per patient.
4. Lower medical costs resulted in savings of $473 million for Indiana’s health care system realized through the lower cost of health care in ambulatory health center settings as well as reduced spending on hospital emergency room utilization and a lower rate of in-patient hospital admission.
5. In addition to direct savings to the health care system, each dollar spent by the state on I-CHCs is associated with between $6 and $17 of value, in terms of revenues generated from all sources for the delivery of services at I-CHCs.

Although the report is focused in Indiana, the results show they have implications in all states.

To access the report, please visit: http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/healthpolicy/dhp_publications/pub_uploads/dhpPublication_A7BA8B9A-5056-9D20-3D3852F88AC4EF03.pdf