Save our clinics

Congress must aid health centers

When the novel coronavirus hit Arkansas, community health centers rose to the challenge, immediately shifting our business model. Unlike some private providers restricting who they see, we’re proud that we test residents for covid-19 while taking special precautions to still meet the traditional health-care needs of our loyal patients.

“I have seen several families who were just so grateful that they were being seen. We have had families tell us that they were turned away elsewhere,” reports Dr. Rebekah Beyers, a pediatrician for Community Clinic in Springdale. “One mother told us she trusted that we would not tell her to come in unless we thought it was important and that we would help to keep them safe. Trust from our patients is one of the best things we could hope for.”

Many don’t realize the reach and value of community health centers in Arkansas. Without us, the state’s general health and economy would suffer.

The 11 members of the Community Health Centers of Arkansas offer covid-19 testing sites across the state at more than 60 of our clinics — from Siloam Springs to Eudora and from De Queen to Corning.

Without a dependable source from the state or federal governments for personal protective equipment (often referred to as PPE), we’ve scoured hardware stores and asked community partners to help ensure our staff and the public are adequately protected. We’ve kept our clinics open with special screenings in tents or drive-up evaluations to limit access.

But if we are to maintain our high level of quality service to the people of this state, we desperately need Congress and our Arkansas elected officials to step up.

Community health centers in Arkansas and across the country are in trouble. Like the rest of the nation, we’re facing challenges every day. Some may believe that health care is immune from the economic downturn because of the incredible need to diagnose and treat covid-19 patients. But actually, the opposite is reality. Most patients are staying home, fearful of entering a clinic, thinking they may end up being a whole lot sicker after their appointment.

Our patient volume has dropped to about 40 percent of what it was before covid-19, a massive drop for any business. We’re forced to cut hours, doing our best to avoid or delay staff furloughs.

Many of you are friends and supporters of community health centers, and we much appreciate your dedication to the cause.

Some of you may not be as familiar

Awith us. Without us, many Arkansans would have to travel long distances for routine care. Our revenue comes from patient payments in the form of private insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. We offer a sliding fee scale for those without insurance. We also receive federal grants aimed at helping us fulfill a mission unprofitable to the private medical market.

The National Association of Community Health Centers is projecting drastic consequences from covid-19. Assuming health centers operate at 40 percent of patient volume for six months, we are facing a revenue loss across the country of $7.6 billion. In Arkansas, that would translate to $46 million in losses, more than 600 job cuts (a serious hit to local economies), and more than 250,000 fewer patient visits. That’s simply unsustainable.

ll this is coming at a time when Congress has repeatedly passed short-term fixes for our funding. For more than a year, community health centers have pleaded with Congress for a five-year funding solution. An extension was recently granted, but only until Nov. 30. Health centers across the country received $1.4 billion in short-term funding to combat the problems caused by covid-19.

That’s a good start, but far short of what we need.

We (and our patients) cry out for stable long-term funding so we can plan for future challenges, develop innovative ways to treat underlying causes of chronic health issues, and continue to serve as economic drivers in rural Arkansas communities.

We’re also calling for a strengthening of our telehealth technology services to reach even more Arkansans; help with infrastructure challenges; and a build-up of the “teaching health center” model to entice medical residents to set up rural practices.

We’re not talking pie-in-the-sky stuff. These represent our basic needs, essential for a healthy and thriving society. If covid-19 has taught us anything, it’s not to take our health care for granted. Let’s not let covid-19 destroy the very industry most necessary for fighting future pandemics.

We must build up community health centers to be ready for the next challenge because it is right around the corner. We stand ready to do our part.