Opinion: Community health benefits from Medicaid
Community Health Centers are bright spots in a U.S. health care system that faces challenges. Health centers like OneWorld effectively allocate resources and dollars wisely to achieve positive health outcomes. This happens as we serve as a community hub where patients know they can receive high-quality, compassionate health care and support services. Last year, OneWorld served 53,000 patients from across 90 zip codes in the Omaha metro area – including veterans, seniors, working families, children and people living with disabilities. Across the country, health centers like OneWorld deliver primary and preventive health care to 32.5 million Americans. Our patients include a large share of people who get health insurance through the Medicaid program and who might otherwise struggle to access primary care. This includes more than one in three of OneWorld’s patients. More than simply a health insurer, Medicaid is a lifeline for community health centers, providing a significant amount of revenue to serve more patients – and a remarkable rate of return. Nationwide, health centers provide comprehensive primary and preventive care for 16 million Medicaid patients. We do this at a lower cost than other primary care providers, saving Medicaid $1,400 per adult patient per year and $800 a year for children. A recent study showed that, in 2023, health centers saved Medicaid $38.6 billion by keeping patients healthy, avoiding unnecessary costs, and preventing expensive emergency department visits. Federal proposals to make significant adjustments and reductions in Medicaid spending may jeopardize that investment, with devastating consequences for OneWorld’s patients and millions of others across the country. The impact will be significant. Newly uninsured patients will likely delay or forgo necessary care, leading to more serious health conditions, emergency department visits and higher long-term healthcare costs. This path takes us all farther from – not closer to – a shared vision of healthy, thriving communities.
Lawmakers deliberating changes in Medicaid funding are urged to remember the high-quality primary care that millions of patients – children, seniors and hard- working American families – rely on at health centers and hospitals across our state and country. Medicaid funding that helps health centers care for patients, keep them healthy and prevent chronic disease is one of the smartest investments our nation can make. It is also one of the most effective uses of taxpayer dollars, and one of the best ways to ensure a healthy and prosperous Nebraska.
Study: Community Health Centers save lives A recent study* has confirmed what medical professionals working at community health centers (CHCs) already knew: CHCs save lives. The study examined changes in mortality rates after 350 health centers closed nationwide in 2024. The affected counties experienced an increase of mortality of 3-4 deaths per 100,000 people in the population. The study suggested a link between cancer mortality and health center loss, noting their role in cancer screening. Health centers are vital to individual and community health, thanks to the life-saving impact of accessible primary care. * Sanjay Basu, Robert Phillips & Hank Hoang. Impact of Community Health Center Losses on County-Level Mortality: A Natural Experiment in the United States, 2011–2019, Health Services Research, (May 22, 2025).
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ISSUE 2 2025 | EXCHANGE
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