Today is another call out to GET OUT AND VOTE in the Indiana Primary in two weeks.  Tuesday, May 8^th is the date.  If you would like to add it to your Google Calendar, then click the “Google Calendar” button below!

Our health center staff have been spending the last month collecting signatures for our petition to show support for the Health Centers program!  But, another way to make those voices even more effective would be if a congressional staff person is looking through the names and sees names of VOTERS!

flickr photo by KOMUnews

If they see voters’ names on a petition, then they know that there could be the potential to lose votes in the next election if they don’t support health centers!

A quick heads up…this won’t be our last reminder!  But hey, voting is a RIGHT that should be expressed.

Invite a coworker to vote with you.  Or a family member.  Or a friend.  Make it a good experience for everyone, so that it doesn’t feel like a chore!

Have a great Tuesday! See you at the polls in TWO WEEKS!

1. Grow your own fruits and vegetables in your yard, patio containers, or a community garden space.
2. Use store brand instead of name brand foods.
3. Save on a gym membership and exercise at home. Stability balls, resistance bands, and fitness DVDs are affordable and provide structure for a fitness routine.
4. Walk with your dog, family members or friends.
5. Walk or ride a bike rather than driving to places close to you.
6. Enjoy a picnic in the park instead of eating out.
7. Relax and reduce stress with books, movies, and CDs borrowed from the public library.
8. Quit smoking and save money. If you smoke one pack a day, you can save approximately $2,000 a year if you stop smoking.
9. If you have a chronic disease like asthma or diabetes, see your doctor regularly to avoid costly complications.
10. If you don’t have a doctor and are looking for affordable options, find a HealthNet community health center in your area. If you live outside of Indy, check out the Indiana Primary Health Care Association for other low cost health centers throughout the state.

Here’s another bargain for you. Community health centers have a proven track record of improving the health and well-being of their communities. And, they save over $1,200 per patient annually, by reducing preventable hospitalizations and emergency room visits. Please join us in advocating the the need for community health center expansion! Sign our petition today!

The past few weeks, we have been asking health center patients, community supporters, and YOU (our online community) to sign a petition supporting community health center expansion and continued funding for Medicaid.

(You can believe our reaction when seeing this article now, can’t you?)

If you want to get a good take on the who, what, when, where, why and how of community health centers, then the article titled – “Community Health Centers: The Challenge of Growing to Meet the Need for Primary Care in Medically Underserved Communities” is a great start.

The two most important findings (both on page 8.) reported in this article are…

•  “Patients receiving a majority of their ambulatory care in CHC settings had 25 percent lower ambulatory care expenditures, and 24 percent lower total annual medical expenditures, compared with patients who receive most of their care in other primary care settings.
• “Economic analyses indicate that, in terms of the employment and the economic activity they generate, health centers produce an 8:1 return on investment”

The second article, titled – “Medicaid and Community Health Centers: the Relationship between Coverage for Adults and Primary Care Capacity in Medically Underserved Communities” – compares the status of community health centers in states with expanded Medicaid coverage to health centers in states with limited coverage.

Three takeaways from this article?

•  “Health centers in expansion states had more patient care sites and saw more patients than health centers in more limited states.”
• “Health centers in expansion states received more total revenue and a greater proportion of revenue from Medicaid than health centers in more limited states.”
• “Health centers in expansion states employ more medical staff, across almost all specialties, than health centers in more limited states.”

But, we can’t just leave you with that.  You could’ve had read that yourself. (and we really appreciate the studies done by those at George Washington University).

From the studies done, health centers ARE cost-effective.  Health centers do save individuals money because of the preventative and wide array of care they receive.  Health centers do have a great economic impact on the neighborhoods where they are located.

Our new People's Health & Dental Center when it was under construction.

But, health centers are more than that.  Health centers are run BY the community.  In case you didn’t read the first article yet, in order to be a Federally Qualified Health Center, you need 51% of your board to be made up of patients from your health center.  In most cases, the entire reason a community health center is built is because community groups see a need in their OWN neighborhood.

So, not only do health centers save the country money, generate money for the community and individuals, but they also take on the personality of the community and are there for the residents in any situation that occurs in their life.

Help to save community health centers.  Sign our petition asking our legislators to not only prevent cuts in funding but increase the appropriated funds for community health centers as well as prevent ANY cuts in Medicaid, the key to strengthening the capacity and operations of community health centers.

(and don’t forget to ask your friends and family to join you in signing! Share this on your Facebook and Twitter pages)

Did you know? Health centers throughout the nation are the health care homes for over 20 million Americans.

Did you know? There are STILL almost 60 million Americans, even those with insurance, who do NOT have access to health care.

Did you know? Health centers’ average cost runs $1 less per patient per day compared to ALL physician settings.

Please join us in advocating the need for community health center expansion.  Amidst all of the different opinions and debates regarding health care, the Health Centers program has always been something that all sides can agree on.

The need for SHOWING SUPPORT is always a must, and as the campaign trail heats up, then budget talks will get more specific.

YOU CAN HELP THE HEALTH CENTERS PROGRAM!

By signing our petition, you will show our legislators just how important the Health Centers program is to our Indianapolis community.  The petition, located on our Facebook page, is calling our legislators to

1) Protect existing Health Center operations and increase Health Centers’ funding to the highest amount possible in fiscal year 2013 to allow health centers to serve an additional 2.5 million patients; and

2) Oppose cuts in the Medicaid program that would undermine Health Centers like ours.

Head over to our Advocacy Page on Facebook, sign the petition and share with friends and family!  Every signature counts and will help to let our health center colors shine through!

At a time when health centers are seeing ever increasing demand for their services in rural and urban communities across the country, we are grateful that Congress has responded with this bipartisan bill which begins to address that need!
– Tom Van Coverden, President & CEO of NACHC.

Congress passed the
2012 Omnibus Appropriations Act!

But what is even more exciting than them actually passing it, is that the Health Centers Program will be funded at $2.78 billion!  Totaling an increase of $200 million.

With only 12 days left until 2012, this is great news to hear.  Not only will all current federal funding be kept for current health centers, but the funding increase will allow greater access to health care for more than 1.5 million additional Americans.

Outside look of NEW Barrington... set to open - March 2012

An interesting tidbit from NACHC’s press release – An estimated 60 million Americans — many of whom have health insurance — do not have access to primary medical care because of a shortage of providers in their communities.

HealthNet has benefitted from federal funding in the past, as we have been able to open doors to a new Southwest Health & Dental Center, a new People’s Health & Dental Center, and our Eastside Health Center, as well as build a new Barrington set to open early in 2012.

This maintaining of federal funding ensures us the ability to continue to provide primary and preventative care to Hoosiers in Marion County and look to the future of possible expansion into areas where health care is still a need.  As said above and in NACHC’s statement, many citizens HAVE health insurance but are simply UNABLE to access care.

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Grassroots advocacy DOES WORK, even with a down economy and political tension in the air. 
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Enjoy your holiday season, but be sure to join us in picking up where we left off once we turn the corner into 2012 and an electoral year!

Today, we’re in the midst of the same process, only we are switching to the other side of Capitol Hill.  The deadline for SENATORS to submit a programmatic request is THIS FRIDAY, June 10^th.  But, there is also an easier way for Indiana Senators Lugar and Coats to show support without submitting a request.

photo by Ewan McGregor

Senator Stabenow (D-MI) and Senator Boozman (R-AR) worked together to come up with a document just like their House counterparts Bilirakis (R-FL) and Pallone (D-NJ) did a couple weeks ago.  A ‘Dear Colleague’ letter is available for Senators to co-sign by the end of the business day tomorrow!!

Ideally, full Indiana support for the Health Centers Program would be for Sen. Lugar and Sen. Coats to co-sign the Stabenow-Boozman letter AND submit their own programmatic requests.

HealthNet and other Indiana community health centers have always shown great numbers for advocacy, and these next few weeks are critical for ramping up efforts for our FY2012 funding, particularly after the dramatic cuts we received earlier this year.  Call, email, and fax a letter to each of these Senators to let them know how many patients (voters) they will be helping by showing support for our Health Centers Program!

In order to sign on to the ‘Dear Colleague’ letter, Republican Senators can contact Kathee Facchiano in Sen. Boozman’s office at 202-224-4843 and Democrat Senators may contact Alex Sheff in Sen. Stabenow’s office at 202-224-4822.

Take action today, and help your health center’s patients receive great care while also saving the state health care system money!!

Construction of our NEW Barrington Health & Dental Center

Yet even as welders and electricians prepare the building for its late 2011 opening, a funding battle brewing in Congress threatens to choke off new health services for Indy and other communities across Indiana.

As Congress looks to cut its way to a trimmer deficit, the 2012 federal budget is on the chopping block. In hard economic times, health and human services programs like Community Health Centers are often the first line items to be cut or eliminated – even though the number Americans needing services is on the rise as people lose their jobs, their health insurance, and their homes. Why cut something that actually saves taxpayers money?

At this stage in the long, complicated budget process, we have one day left to make a difference for access to care in Indy! TOMORROW – May 20^th – is the deadline for members of Congress to show their support for Community Health Centers by making a program request to the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, asking for increased discretionary funding for Health Centers in FY12.

Take 5 minutes TODAY to call or jot a quick e-mail to your Representative! Encourage him or her to support the recommended discretionary funding level that will lower our nation’s health care costs AND strengthen primary care – especially in Indianapolis.

In the time it takes to get a cup of coffee, you can make a difference for the future of our city!  Click the link on ‘to call or jot a quick email’ to do so!

Budget talks for Fiscal Year 2012 are on the table in the U.S. House of Representatives, and yes once again, we need to remind our legislators just how important community health centers are — not only to saving the health care system money but also to saving patients’ (constituents’) lives.

It seems like we just finished fighting the proposed $1 billion cut for FY2011, which ended up being reduced to a $600 million cut thanks to our efforts as a grassroots advocacy team!  We all give a care about what goes on within our health center walls. And, we all give a care about expanding the square footage between those walls to help serve MORE of the underserved.

In Indianapolis, HealthNet’s service area consists of 59 census tracts:

• 48 of which are medically underserved areas
• 30 are health professional shortage areas
• And 26 are dental health professional shortage areas.

Also within this service area, over 45% of residents are living at or below 200% of poverty level, another barrier on top of the lack of access to care.  (For more facts, figures, and maps click here)

After a short power nap for our grassroots advocacy, it is time to grab that Red Bull, Monster, or your favorite energy drink because we need to get going on pushing for an increase in funding for Fiscal Year 2012!!

Following the National Association of Community Health Centers’ lead, ask your Representative to submit a programmatic request by May 20^th increasing the Health Center Program’s funding by $200 million.  A total of $1.79 billion of discretionary spending for the Health Centers Program “is necessary to allow Health Centers to meet the existing and persistent need of Americans seeking primary and preventive care services.”

HealthNet has been able to expand services at our Southwest Health & Dental Center, People’s Health & Dental Center and soon-to-be expanded Barrington Health & Dental Center, which is currently under construction.  We have submitted a New Access Point proposal, and with an increase in programmatic funding, it will strengthen our chances of serving MORE of those people who need it within our service area.

Learn how you can give a care.  Learn how to contact your Representative today!  All Indianapolis residents will benefit.

“Usually dirty, drunk, and very stupid sounding, they just ask for money, or demand it.”

This was a quote taken from Thehomelesspresident’s Blog.  The author of this blog is a man who became homeless when he was 12 years old.  He has continuously tried to work his way out of homelessness and has been from place to place going from job to job.  You can read his About Me page to hear his story in greater detail.

When I read his blog post titled “Homeless, Alcoholism, Drug Addicition,” it made me think about WHO was exactly the face of homeless.  And, I agree with the blog author when he says that most people think about the person who sits on the corner or panhandles by a highway exit, who is very unkempt, and looks high and drunk.  I had an opportunity to tag-a-long with HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program‘s Outreach team who took me to the places where you see the people who are living without a home!  And sure, we saw people who were drunk and/or high, but the fact is that there are not as many as one might think.

The real face of homelessness are:

• FAMILIES who make up 40% of the homeless population in Indianapolis
• CHILDREN who make up almost 25% of this same population
• PEOPLE just like you and me, who just need a WAY out

You can help these people.  Spreading awareness about the face of homelessness can go a long way.  Or, donating to the Homeless Initiative Program here.  The number of homeless individuals on the street rose by 40% in 2009.  A small amount of your time can go a LONG way.