Iowa must maintain Community Health Centers

Recently, The Gazette reported a study by the University of Iowa Public Policy Center and the College of Public Health (Nov. 25).

The article pointed out that because of the success of the Affordable Care Act, Community Health Centers in Iowa and across the country are unprepared to provide health care for all the new patients who have become eligible for health insurance coverage.

The experience of the Eastern Iowa Health Center, a CHC located in Cedar Rapids, confirms this explosion of demand for health care services.

We know, for instance, that on Jan. 1, 2013, EIHC had 6,100 patients. As of Dec. 1, 2014, EIHC has over 15,100 enrolled patients and a growing waiting list.

Many of these are patients who were previously relying on hospital emergency rooms or receiving services from the free clinics in the community. The availability of the ACA has proved the need for health care insurance coverage for the uninsured, underinsured and the underserved.

Unfortunately, the future funding for CHCs is in jeopardy. Congress, including Iowa's delegation, must act soon to reauthorize spending on the Health Center Fund, an important source of funding for CHCs, including Eastern Iowa Health Center.

Without reauthorization, health centers will lose 70 percent of their funding Oct. 1. The loss of this funding would lead to a loss of access to care for many of the 180,000 Iowans who rely on a CHC to provide their health care.

The projected economic loss in Iowa is estimated at close to $25 million, including over 200 lost jobs if this funding is not continued.

EIHC is one of 14 CHCs in Iowa and more than 1,200 nationwide. CHCs are local, not for profit, community-driven health centers, serving primarily low income and medically underserved populations. By providing accessible and affordable medical, dental and behavioral health services, CHCs serve as patient-centered medical homes for more than 180,000 Iowans, 93 percent of whom earn below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

A family of four people living with less than $24,000 annual income is considered living below poverty.

Seventy-three percent of FQHC patients in Iowa either have no insurance or rely on Medicaid.

EIHC provides primary and preventive health care services in Linn County and surrounding counties. EIHC serves all populations: older citizens, adults, children and newborns. Primarily, we serve historically underserved populations. The medical staff provides family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, and gynecologic services.

CHCs play an important role in providing primary care services to Iowans in both rural and urban areas of the state.

Research at the national level show CHCs are ranked as some of the most cost-effective ways of delivering primary and preventive health care, saving the U.S. health care system more than $17 billion annually.

It also is known that uninsured Iowans living near a CHC are less likely to visit the emergency room, have a hospital stay or have an unmet medical need than other uninsured Iowans.

It is in the self-interest of the entire community that Congress reauthorize the Health Center fund. When our family, friends and neighbors have access to affordable primary and preventive health care, we are a stronger and a more productive community.

Please urge the Iowa congressional delegation to support adequate funding of Community Health Centers.

' Former State Representative Ro Foege is Interim CEO, Eastern Iowa Health Center. He co-chaired the Legislative Commission on Affordable Health Care Plan for Small Businesses and Families in 2007-2008. Comments: rfoege@eihc.co