This analysis indicates that the expansion of community health centers (CHCs) 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 report 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 CHCsreceive additional funding through appropriations in future years, medical costs could be reduced by up to $300 billion over the next ten years.

This report examines the role of medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) as catalysts for improving the overall health of low-income and vulnerable patients by addressing their legal needs. Given their comprehensive approach to health care and high proportion of low-income patients, health centers could serve as an excellent entry point for low-income populations to legal services. MLPs can also benefit the viability of the centers.

This brief, issued on the first anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, examines the effect of ARRA stimulus funding on community health centers. It projects that the federal investment of approximately two billion dollars in the nation’s 1,100 community health centers will generate $3.2 billion in economic activity – an estimated return on investment of nearly two dollars for every dollar spent. Because health centers were able to rapidly transform the infusion of funding into new services and jobs, the ARRA investment provided significant relief to many of the nation’s hardest hit communities and has acted as an effective economic engine.

This report is an analysis of health reform legislation currently under consideration in the Senate. The analysis posits a consolidated measure combining elements of both the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and Senate Finance Committee bills. A combination of both bills could expand health insurance coverage and investments in community health centers, while producing savings of $369 billion for the entire health care system and $105 billion for the federal portion of Medicaid over the next decade.

This policy research brief finds that the Medicaid expansions currently under Congressional consideration as part of health reform legislation would not only improve the health and well-being of previously uninsured individuals and families but also would generate significant economic returns in new business activities, jobs, salaries and wages. The report concludes that a $10 million investment by each state in Medicaid would generate, on average, 247 jobs in addition to $29.1 million in business activity. Every dollar invested in Medicaid helps generate two to six dollars in new business activities.

This policy research brief finds that health center expansion to serve an additional 20 million patients as a part of national health reform would result in overall health care savings of $212 billion from 2010 to 2019, including federal Medicaid savings of $59 billion. The report emphasizes that the savings far exceed the $38.8 billion health center investment called for in the July 14 House health reform bill.

This policy research brief reports on a pilot project in Michigan that demonstrates the potential of data warehouses to create performance measures specifically tailored to community health centers.

This brief presents key findings from a recent study that estimated cost savings and benefits generated by Indiana’s investment in the state's community health centers. The study examines the crucial role community health centers play in providing cost-effective care, enabling states to potentially save of millions of dollars annually.

This policy research brief examines the potential impact of the draft House Tri-Committee health reform bill on community health centers’ capacity to provide primary health care services to millions of needy patients, including the newly insured and millions who will remain uninsured.

This research brief studies the potential impact of national health reform on the more than 96 million residents of America's urban and rural medically underserved communities. The researchers estimate that 72 percent of medically underserved community residents are insured; yet residents of these communities experience ongoing barriers to adequate health care The brief identifies a series of safeguards and investments essential to long term quality and efficiency improvements in underserved communities.

This report examines the Medicaid HIT adoption incentives contained in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). The first study to map the potential impact of the Medicaid provisions on incentive funding finds that about 45,000 office-based physicians – including nearly all physicians who practice at FQHCs and half of office-based pediatricians – may be eligible for up to $63,750 over six years to improve and maintain their HIT systems because of their participation in Medicaid.

This report examines the impact of Puerto Rico’s 1994 health reform on the Commonwealth’s community health centers. The findings highlight the importance of investing in health centers, not only to support essential primary health care, but to achieve cost savings and generate economic activity.

A new policy brief by the Collaborative indicates that restoring eligibility for Medicaid and SCHIP coverage to legally-admitted immigrant children and pregnant women is crucial. The current reauthorization debate provides an opportunity to improve the health status of vulnerable immigrant populations and strengthen their ability to contribute to the nation and the economy.

This report represents a “second wave” follow-up to a “first wave” study whose purpose was to measure the effects of the Deficit Reduction Act’s citizenship documentation requirements on health centers and their patients.

The Collaborative's latest research brief examines comments from health centers and concerned parties across the country on the proposed rule to narrow the federal definition of medical underservice. HRSA’s withdrawal of the proposed regulation provides an opportunity for a future approach that better addresses critical concerns related to data, methodology, and stakeholder involvement.

The study finds that community health centers out-perform other primary care providers in the use of key preventive care services by both Medicaid and uninsured patients.

The policy brief examines a proposed federal regulation to create a new method to designate Health Professional Shortage Areas and Medically Underserved Areas or Populations.