State budget crisis may bring cuts to medical services for some
 
Richmond, Va. — Community Health Centers (CHCs) in Virginia continue to grow to meet the rising need for access to health care services in medically underserved communities. This past year alone saw community health centers experiencing tremendous increases in new patients. Across Virginia, 78,557 new patients have received primary health care from community health centers. More than 54 percent of those new patients are uninsured. Despite the financial strain imposed by trying to meet the demand for services, community health centers continue to provide the services that they can to meet the needs in their communities.
At the same time that community health centers are experiencing such a large increase in new uninsured patients, pending state funding cuts will harm the ability of some community health centers to deliver services to some patients.
State funds help offset the costs of providing primary care to the uninsured, those who are at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, as well as those who have lost their jobs during the current economic crisis.

During the current economic downturn CHCs have been beneficial in more than one way. In addition to providing primary care services in medically underserved areas, CHCs are associated with lower health care costs and less acute care utilization, as well as reducing demand for primary care services at emergency rooms.
Community Health Centers also are creating jobs during this economic downturn. By leveraging funding from the state, foundations and other sources, community health centers are able to offer pharmacy assistance programs to help those most in need, and provide primary care services including medical, dental, and behavioral health services. Helping with local economic development, these services require skilled and highly trained professionals, bringing jobs to communities that often are located in economically disadvantaged areas.
Community Health Centers have the potential to offset both utilization and spending for other types of care and have long been recognized for improving healthcare access. 
“Community Health Centers are beneficial to all Virginians, not just those in medically underserved areas,” R. Neal Graham, Executive Director of the Virginia Community Healthcare Association said. “In a time of economic strain statewide, Community Health Centers are providing access to health care that otherwise would not be available to a large percentage of Virginians.”

• About the Virginia Community Healthcare Association
The Virginia Community Healthcare Association is a nonprofit healthcare association representing a large component of primary care “safety net” providers. Members include Community Health Centers, rural health centers and similar non-profit community based healthcare practices providing primary care, dental care, pharmaceutical services, behavioral health, and preventative health services in medically underserved areas. Serving over 240,000 Virginians at more than 100 service sites, health centers have offered health services under a philosophy of “access for all” for over 39 years.
For more information, please contact: Rick Shinn at (800) 966-8272 ext. 19 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .