Government
Health centers do well by doing good
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Nov. 8, 2004
Federally qualified health centers save money for the health care system by providing primary care services and reducing emergency department visits for uninsured Americans, says a new study published in the October issue of the journal Health Services Research. The study found that uninsured people living near the centers are less likely to have unmet health needs, delay seeing a physician, make an emergency visit or have a hospital stay.
President Bush has set the goal of doubling the capacity of community health centers, and the Dept. of Health and Human Services recently announced $49 million in grants for the creation of 76 new health centers across the country. HHS estimates that the new centers will serve an additional 488,000 uninsured Americans.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/11/08/gvbf1108.htm.
