Community Health Centers

CARSON CITY — Improving student health and reducing student absenteeism are just two of the goals of Nevada Health Centers as they bring telehealth services to schools.

With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, more Nevadans than ever now have health insurance coverage. One of the covered benefits is the provision of preventative health services and treatment for most illnesses. With so many Nevadans having coverage, the primary health care system has been overwhelmed with people trying to access services.

Nevada’s Community Health Centers are extolling bipartisan Members of Congress who are calling for a solution to looming funding reductions that will affect the patients they serve.

The efforts on Capitol Hill come as operational support for more than 1,300 Health Center organizations serving approximately 23 million patients nationwide is threatened.

The National Association of Community Health Centers estimates that more than 13,000 patients could lose access to care in the state of Nevada, even as demand for primary care increases and is expected to climb.

The Northern Nevada Development Authority is hosting a breakfast meeting on Wednesday, June 29 from 7:00 am – 9:00 am at the Carson Nugget on the topic of health care.

“Creating an Accountable and Affordable Healthcare Delivery System” – Ed Epperson, CEO at Carson-Tahoe Regional Health Care Center will review the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and what it did – and didn’t do – to ensure development of affordable and accountable health care throughout the nation. Epperson will also address trends and challenges that are developing in the health care industry.

By Thomas G. Chase
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a repeal of Health Reform. Additionally, they passed budget cuts of $1.3 billion to existing funding for Community Health Centers (CHC’s).

Over the last 45 years, CHC’s have grown to provide primary care access to 20 million Americans. Study after study has shown that primary care in a CHC is less expensive and provides more reliable health outcomes than any other alternative for those with access challenges. Who is speaking for the needs of these patients?