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Letter to the Editor - Celebrating National Health Center Week

Bullhook Community Health Center is a part of a national network of primary care providers to more than 25 million Americans, including more than 106,000 Montanans. The program started more than 50 years ago, as a small but bold effort to provide health care to medically underserved areas including rural states.

Community health centers have saved countless lives, reduced and prevented chronic disease and provided people with more affordable options for care than a costly emergency room. Community health centers have proven to be innovators in treating chronic disease like diabetes and hypertension while tackling the tough issues such as mental health and substance use.

There is little doubt that community health centers have contributed significantly to cost savings for the American taxpayer. According to a 2016 study in the American Journal of Public Health, health centers save an average of $2,371 per Medicaid patient when compared to other providers. Health centers are more than “just” an affordable health care provider — we are problem-solvers that look beyond medical charts not only to prevent illness but also address the factors that actually cause poor health, such as homelessness, lack of nutrition, transportation barriers or unemployment.

Health centers bring a unique and important perspective to the national and state conversation on health care. We are proud that we can work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to strengthen and improve the availability of quality primary care and preventive services to everyone who needs it.

Sincerely,

Carol Reifschneider

Bullhook Community Health Center board chair

 

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