“Medicaid patients go to ERs more often“

In the article, data from a U.S. National Health Interview Survey showed that 16% of Medicaid beneficiaries had one or more barriers to primary care.  It was also found that 40% of Medicaid patients used the emergency room, as compared to 18% of those with private insurance.

There is no doubt that there are barriers to care for Medicaid patients.  Many of these individuals live in medically underserved areas (to learn how medically underserved areas are determined click here), but basically an MUA means that the ratio of primary care doctors per 1,000 people is very low.

Health Centers as an answer.

In a report, just released this week, by the National Association of Community Health Centers another indicator of the barriers faced by Medicaid patients was shown

..at least 25% of U.S. counties in greatest need do not have a health center.

Community health centers are an answer to the complex problem offered in the article posted by WTHR.  “Health centers are required to be open to all residents regardless of ability to pay or insurance status, target medically underserved areas, offer comprehensive primary care services, and be directed by a local patient-majority governing board.”

Not only do health centers eliminate barriers of access for patients no matter what your insurance status, but they have a proven record of reducing the amount of emergency room visits by Medicaid beneficiaries – “Medicaid beneficiaries relying on health centers for usual care in four states are 19% less likely to use the emergency department for unnecessary visits and 11% less likely to be hospitalized compared to beneficiaries relying on other providers.”
(Cost Effectiveness of Care Provided at Health Centers)

Addressing the problem in Indiana.

As Indiana’s largest federally qualified health center, our health centers are the medical home for over 50,000 Hoosiers.  We have posted about the need for health center expansion – here, here and here – and HealthNet has enjoyed the expansion of three health centers in the past year along with the opening of a new center on the Far Eastside of Indy.  But, as noted above, the need for greater access to health care for all residents is increasing.

Health centers do eliminate barriers for patients who need a source of quality primary care, but they also are one of the most cost effective forms of health care available.

• Health centers’ average cost runs a dollar less per patient per day compared to all physician settings ($1.67 vs. $2.64).
• Health centers save the health care system about $24 billion annually

We need your help..

Health center expansion is essential to reduce these barriers as well as costs on the entire health care system.

So for the next month, we will be collecting petition signatures to show local support for community health centers nationwide.  Each signature counts, and if we collect enough, then we will be able to present the petition along with all of the signatures to our legislators when they are home during the first week in May.

1) Sign the petition.
2) Tweet this – “@WTHRcom #medicaid patients go to ER more often except for those who use community health centers! http://bit.ly/GQ0UUG #SaveCHCs”
3) LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with more updates on our Petition Drive!

School-based clinics are considered one of the most effective strategies for delivering high quality, comprehensive, and culturally-competent primary and preventive care to children and teens.”

The study was done in Denver, CO – ‘using administrative databases maintained by Denver Health (DH) and Denver Public Schools (DPS)’.  Denver Health is Denver’s primary “safety-net” institution caring for many of the city’s uninsured.  Similar to us here at HealthNet, Denver Health is composed of 11 school-based health centers (SBHCs), 9 community health centers, 2 urgent care centers, and a tertiary care hospital with an emergency department.  HealthNet operates 6 community health centers, 3 specialty care centers, and offers school-based services in 8 schools.

The most interesting fact about the study is that the comparison was between students who use SBHCs and students who use community health centers and NOT a school-based health center.

The findings were clear!

School-based users were less likely to be insured, either by Medicaid or another form of insurance; however, they were more likely to have made greater than 3 primary care visits and half as likely to use emergency care for health maintenance.

The results show the importance of having a health center present in schools.  School-based health centers help boost access to quality care for underserved and uninsured students.

———————————

What do you think about the having access to primary care within schools?
Would it benefit students even if they are NOT in underserved areas?
Leave you comments below!

———————————-

To read the full research study click here – the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

How do donors feel about this?  Would there be any businesses that might partner with us to try this?  Would it be worth NOT being able to build a relationship with our donors?

These are tough questions to answer.  With many of our outreach programs running at a deficit and the threat of D.C. cutting health center and Medicaid funding, our organization is really brainstorming on what we can do to assure greater access to care for all Indianapolis residents.  Here are three ways for you to give a care about greater access to health care and support services (we promise, no embedded giving here! This site is completely free to all!)

1. Like us on Facebook – A way to directly see how donations, awareness, and support affect the lives of many in Indianapolis. HealthNet’s Facebook page is a way to hear the stories, see the expansion of buildings, and engage with a community that cares about all Indianapolis residents.
2. Subscribe to this blog (up & to the right) – Doing so will send our blog posts directly to your e-mail inbox!  It’s an easy way to be updated on HealthNet happenings while simply going through your daily routine of checking e-mail.
3. Sign-up to receive our e-newsletter – Our monthly e-newsletter always highlights a different aspect of HealthNet and how it increases support and wrap-around care that is available to Indianapolis residents who need it.  Featuring success stories and staff opinions, our e-newsletter is a great way to stay involved and become a part of the HealthNet team.

Okay, so this may have been toeing the line of embedded giving, but look at it as simply rounding up the much appreciated time you took to read this post by taking three simple steps that will make it easier for us to keep in touch in the future!

THANK YOU for the support you have already shown. We look forward to building a relationship with you and asking for your input rather than just your quarters!

One year ago tomorrow, President Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act.

Community Health Centers now serve 23 million patients and provide care for one-fourth of all primary care visits for low-income citizens in our country.  The Affordable Care Act has been one more step towards health centers throughout the nation caring for 40 million patients by 2015.  The two greatest statistics that show the effectiveness of community health centers are

1. Cost per patient per day is nearly a dollar lower than all physician settings ($1.67 v. $2.64)
2. Medicaid beneficiaries who choose health centers for primary care are 19% less likely to use the ER for unnecessary visits and 11% less likely to be hospitalized.

The expansion of HealthNet’s Southwest Health & Dental Center, People’s Health & Dental Center, and the soon-to-be Barrington Health & Dental Center has benefited the Indianapolis area greatly.  These expansions will allow HealthNet to reach a greater number of underserved areas and provide services to more patients who otherwise would go without primary and preventative health care or unnecessarily use the ER.

However, there are still areas of HealthNet (not supported under ACA) that need expansion.  Areas such as

• Homeless Initiative Program – serving more than 3,200 homeless persons in Indianapolis
• Better Indy Babies/Healthy Families – making more than 14,720 visits to families in at-risk homes in Marion County
• Social Services – providing support to families living below the poverty level which is one in every 16 people in Marion County
• Radiology/Mammography Assistance – helping uninsured women who are less likely to be screened for breast cancer
• School-based Services – assisting more than 3,320 students in receiving health care and health education in 8 public and charter schools in Marion County
• Health Promotions – a free service that includes a dietitian, tobacco cessation counselor, and childbirth specialist

In light of the one-year anniversary of the signing of the ACA into law, we want to highlight the successful expansion of our community health centers throughout Indianapolis, but also ask for our COMMUNITY’S help in expanding our outreach services to reach further and build a healthier neighborhood for everyone.

You can help us reach those in need by making a quick donation online or by mail.  Visit our donation page to learn more about these programs and ways to assist HealthNet

Check out Preventable Tragedy: A Hawaiian Teen’s Suicide after Foster Care,” an article written by Natalie Wendt.  In this article Natalie Wendt speaks about a 19-year-old from Hawaii who had just committed suicide.  Natalie further explains how the 19-year-old had just been phased out of foster care and fell on hardship when his Medicaid coverage ended on his 19th birthday.  So, he was without the possibility of mental health treatment because of the expenses.

This article got me thinking about other hardships that young adults who are too old for foster care may come across when they are suddenly thrown into the real world.  Luckily, Natalie linked back to an article written by her colleague, Josie Raymond.  The article was called “Foster Care Fosters Homelessness,” and this struck me as pretty logical.

Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago actually did a study on former foster youth, and the results follow the logic that is pointed out in Raymond’s article title.  Foster children were followed starting when they entered foster care at 16, were still in care at 17, and were placed because of a reason other than delinquency.  The Executive Summary reports the outcomes of these children when they were interviewed at the ages of 23 and 24.

• 24% of these kids were homeless at least once since they left foster care; half of these were homeless MORE THAN ONCE in that time
• Only 48% were currently employed
• 57% had health insurance; and two-thirds of these were insured by Medicaid

There is a gap here.  A gap that needs to be filled by support services of some kind.  Read the articles above, become aware, and spread awareness.  Help our community fill this gap.

Learn more about what services HealthNet’s programs provide.  Or, donate directly to one of their programs by clicking here.

According to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), by 2015, the amount of patients that receive care from CHCs will double to about 40 million. The expansion of CHCs nationwide will save our health care system about $122 billion from now until 2015.  We will see the savings in the following ways:

• fewer amount of emergency room visits, saving $55 million for the Medicaid program
• $20 billion in local business generated within the health centers’ neighborhoods
• Improved cared – Health centers meet or exceed nationally accepted practice standards for treatment of chronic conditions

More information from the NACHC report shows that – “Health center’s Medicaid payment is intended to cover their comprehensive services, including dental, mental health, and pharmacy, as well as their programmatic requirements to provide programs that facilitate access to care and motivate healthy behaviors, such as care management, insurance enrollment assistance, transportation, translation, and health education. These services keep patients out of the emergency room and help prevent hospitalizations.”

The return on investment is clear, and not only are the quantifiable outcomes significant but also the indirect returns will be seen.  A healthier community will provide a healthier economy.  Providing primary care and a health care home gives citizens stability in their lives and allows them to focus on their jobs and raising their children.

With the start of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 we will see 32 million uninsured citizens gain coverage through Medicaid and private insurance; however, Health Center expansion is needed before 2014.  You can help by spreading awareness about HealthNet‘s network of community health centers or learning how to get directly involved here.