This week is National Health Center Week 2015 and the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Community Health Centers (CHCs). Community Health Centers (CHC) are an integral part of the health care safety net for underserved communities across the nation and in Wisconsin. Their doors are open to all – regardless of their insurance status. Over the past fifty years CHCs have grown into the largest primary care system in the nation with a focus on providing high quality health care within our most vulnerable communities.

Nationally, new data shows that CHCs serve more than 24 million patients, or one in 14 Americans.

• Over 700.000 patients are children
• The majority of patients are covered under Medicaid or uninsured (75%)
• 92% of patients have incomes below 200% of the FPL (under $47,700 annually for a family of four)

See this infographic provided by the National Association of Community Health Centers for more information.

In Wisconsin there are currently 17 CHCs that serve a little over 285,000 patients in both rural and urban communities across the state.

• The majority of CHC patients in Wisconsin are children (39%) and non-elderly adults (55%)
• In WI 61% of CHC patients are insured through BadgerCare (Medicaid) and 20% are uninsured.
• 95% of patients have incomes below 200% of the FPL.
• WI CHCs serve diverse populations with unique needs including the homeless, children receiving school-based care, veterans and migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
• Wisconsin CHCs not only provide primary care, but also provide much needed access to dental care, behavioral health, and supportive services such as health education, transportation, and translation services.

Visit this Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association page for more information on CHCs in Wisconsin.

CHCs in Wisconsin take on an important role in that they provide much needed quality primary, dental and mental health care for all individuals, including the uninsured in communities with at-risk populations with low access to providers.

The budget bill that was recently signed into law by Governor Walker included proposed changes to the payment methodology for WI CHCs that may reduce payments to centers, beginning in July 2016. Reductions in reimbursements could result in cuts to important health care services for low-income Wisconsinites, but CHCs and the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association are working with the Department of Health Services to try to mitigate the potential adverse effects.

Sashi Gregory