Strengthening Primary Care to Bend the Cost Curve: The Expansion of Community Health Centers Through Health Reform

Leighton Ku, Ph.D., M.P.H,

Professor and Director, Center for Health Policy Research in the Department of Health Policy GW School of Public Health and Health Services

Daniel Hawkins

Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Research, National Association of Community Health Centers

This session will discuss the new health reform changes and impact on community health centers. This report analyzes the ways in which expansion of the health center program under health reform will make a major contribution toward bolstering the capacity of the nation’s primary care system and reducing the long term growth in health care costs. The study indicates that the $11 billion in additional federal grants for community health centers will 1) increase the number of patients receiving primary care at CHCs by at least 18 million by the end of the decade, effectively doubling the number of people served and 2) reduce total national medical costs by more than $180 billion over the next ten years. If CHCs receive additional funding through appropriations in future years, medical costs could be reduced by up to $300 billion over the next ten years.

1. Identify opportunities for immigrants to gain coverage under the ACA 2. Identify obligations of lawfully present immigrants under health reform 3. Discuss state-specific experience related to immigrant insurance coverage and health care access